Longridge gran who has been lollipop lady for 55 years given award

Irene Reid has been stationed near Longridge Church of England Primary School as a lollipop lady for more than 55 years.

She is the longest-serving lollipop lady in Lancashire and is thought to be one of the longest-serving in the UK.

Irene Reid (Image: Cheryl Charnley)

The 84-year-old was recently given a long service award from the council for her decades of dedication to the role. Irene, and others, also enjoyed afternoon tea.

The great-grandmother of 10 said she was studying needlework at college but left her studies to become a lollipop lady.

Irene Reid (Image: Cheryl Charnley)

She said: “When my children were little I had to try and squeeze a job in somewhere and there are only so many jobs that you could fit in around your children who are at school.

“I always thought I would go back to college when the children are in secondary school and go back to my college course doing needlework, which I hoped to use to teach in high schools, but it didn’t work out like that.

“I don’t regret any of it though and don’t think I would have been happy doing anything else.”

Irene says she has no plans to retire any time soon.

She said: “It’s one of those jobs that either grabs you or it doesn’t. If you don’t love it, you will leave within weeks.

Irene Reid (Image: Cheryl Charnley)

“I couldn’t possibly think about retiring. You have all of these kids coming up to you.

"You think ‘I will wait until these little ones have left school’ and before you know it there is another child starting.

Irene Reid with Lancashire firefighters (Image: Lancashire Fire and Rescue)

“It’s lovely job, if you like people and the fresh air, and don’t mind getting wet through.

“I can’t do with being cold in winter but if you like the job, like I do, you can put up with being cold for an hour.”

Irene, who received an MBE from the Queen in 2012, feels like she doesn’t deserve all of the praise she has received for her job.

She said: “I got an MBE from the queen which was fantastic and lovely but sometimes I feel so guilty because I am getting all this praise – I am only doing something that I love doing.

Irene Reid has been a lollipop lady for more than 55 years (Image: Irene Reid)

“My daughter is a carer and I know how hard she works  - other people work a lot harder than I do.

“Longridge is a brilliant little town and people here are so nice. You couldn’t do a job like this if you weren’t happy with where you live and if there wasn’t any community spirit.

“I couldn’t have done this without the support of Longridge and love for children.”