PEDESTRIANS are being urged to press the button on traffic lights before trying to cross the road.

The warning comes after a woman aged 82 had to jump back on the pavement after she claims the ‘green man’ only appeared for three seconds on a busy road near Taunton town centre.

Kathleen Stevens said the incident was the second time it had happened to her as she tried to cross from Mary Street into Paul Street.

She said: “I use that crossing almost every day, and a couple of times the lights have gone red for the traffic and green for pedestrians.

“Both times I made three steps, and the lights turned red for pedestrians and green for the traffic, which started to move.

“It frightened me to death – someone with slower reactions might have been mown down.”

A county council spokesman said the lights were computerised and depended on the amount of traffic exiting Paul Street.

He said: “It’s a busy crossing, and we’d always recommend pedestrians press the button and wait for the green man before attempting to cross, otherwise the lights work automatically and judge the traffic flows regardless of anyone waiting to cross.”