School's campaign to keep a crossing patrol is successful

A class of youngsters from Our Lady and St Joseph's RC Primary School, in Leadgate, County Durham, went to County Hall, Durham, for a highways committee meeting.

They wanted to express their opposition to the authority's proposal not to replace their school's lollipop lady, Minnie Richardson, 80, who recently retired after 32 years.

In a bid to dissuade councillors, they staged a protest outside County Hall and read out statements at the meeting, which also dealt with plans not to replace a crossing patrol at Ebchester CE Primary School, near Consett.

A report prepared for the meeting stated that both schools were in the lowest category of need for lollipop patrols, with relatively few children making use of them, low volumes of traffic, and no injuries caused by accidents in the past four years.

It also said that 19 letters of objection relating to the plans for Ebchester School, including 13 from children, had been received, and that 40 letters relating to Our Lady and St Joseph's School, including 22 from children, were received.

Among those who spoke at the meeting was nine-year-old Catherine Mears, a partially-sighted pupil at Our Lady and St Joseph's.

She described having to walk into the village to cross at the traffic lights with the help of friends, despite living just opposite the school.

She said: "A lollipop person would help me to cross the road safely and mean that I would be more independent."

Fellow pupil Anna Costello, 11, highlighted the increase in traffic with parents dropping their children off since Mrs Richardson's departure.

She also mentioned problems with people parking on yellow lines near the school.

Councillors, who had visited both sites, drew attention to a campaign to encourage them to walk to school.

They voted in favour of keeping the patrols.

Sharon Fenwick, headteacher of Our Lady and St Joseph's, said she was extremely proud of her pupils.

"They have learned a valuable lesson," she said.