CHILDREN at a local school can now cross the road in safety thanks to their parents concern and your caring Citizen.

On January 2 we reported on the plight of the children of St John Vianney School and the impending threat of them losing their crossing patrols to and from school on three major busy roads.

Parents were up in arms at the prospect of their children crossing fast roads without supervision.

When the news came to light that they could only have traffic wardens until January, they campaigned to have permanent lollipop people on the crossings and started to get a petition together to force the council's hand.

Gillian France, spokeswoman for the parents and a mother herself, said: "Parents were worried sick about the situation, the school was powerless to help and the people with the contract to fill the vacant positions didn't seem to care.

"But now I am absolutely thrilled to say that we have two lollipop people, a lady and a gentleman, on the Whitegate Drive and Park Road crossings and it's all thanks to the Citizen bringing attention to the dangerous predicament.

"There is still one vacancy waiting to be filled on South Park Drive which would suit anyone who has spare time and lives locally.

"We will not feel 100 per cent safe until this position is filled as well - but being two-thirds of the way there has given us all good reason to celebrate. Thank you again."

Converted for the new archive on 14 July 2000. Some images and formatting may have been lost in the conversion.