MILLIONS of schoolchildren have been shepherded safely across increasingly busy roads since lollipop men and women as we know them today were introduced 50 years ago.

School crossing patrols, with their distinctive poles and yellow coats, have become a national institution since 1953 and their golden jubilee was marked in North Yorkshire on Tuesday by commemmorative cards and gold badges, presented at special events hosted by schools.

No one knows how many young lives have been saved by their presence as traffic has continued to build up around schools, but the patrols have become friends as well as familiar figures to both children and parents.

Among the schools taking part in the golden jubilee celebrations was Michael Sydall CE Primary at Catterick Village, where Heather Rabjohns has been the lollipop lady for 31 years.

Mrs Rabjohns, who received both a golden jubilee badge and a long service medal on Tuesday, originally took the part-time job because she found it fitted in with the movements of her then young children. She began on the corner at the Angel Hotel, Catterick, and later moved into the High Street.

She said: "Bad weather has never bothered me. When I started it rained for a week and I thought that if that didn't put me off nothing would."

Mrs Rabjohns, who has another three years to go before she considers retirement, was reminded by one Michael Sydall pupil on Tuesday that she had once guided the youngster's parents across the road.

Mrs Rabjohns added: "We do get one or two difficult car drivers who think there are no children coming and try to get through. Lorry drivers generally are pretty good.

"The best part of the job has just been in making sure that the children get safely across the road."