A SHORTAGE of lollipop ladies and men is putting children in Swindon at risk. As schools across the town take part in National Walk to School Week, we can reveal that almost half of positions remain unfilled.

Some schools have waited years to get someone to patrol outside before and after lessons, and some of the most dangerous roads in the town do not have lollipop people, officially known as crossing patrol officers.

Hay Lane near Tregoze Primary, Wharf Road for Wroughton Infants' School and Middleaze Drive near Saltway Primary, are three of the busiest roads that need school patrol staff.

Freshbrook Primary School in Worsley Road needs three new lollipop people.

Swindon Council has launched a recruitment drive that it hopes will alleviate the problem and help children remain safe.

It says it is currently 10 short of its full complement of 24 patrol officers.

The move was welcomed by parents taking their children to school today.

Parent Rachael Chapman, 26, an NHS manager from Ferndale Road whose six-year-old son James attends Ferndale Road Infants' School, said: "My son has been at school for three years and we cross with Diana Cook every day.

"The children all love her and she has only had one week off sick since I've known her.

"When she did it made life much harder.

"I think it would be a great job for someone in the right situation."

Crossing patrol officers currently earn £4.94 an hour for what is roughly an hour's work a day, but they are given uniforms and are trained by police.

Some lollipop people even make visits to schools to help educate children on road safety.

Swindon Council's school patrols manager and road safety officer Margaret Tester said: "The job is for people who have time to spare at either end of the day, and we are flexible so two or more parents can share the job.

"People who do it have a great time and the only reason people leave is because they have reached 70 and have to retire, or get a full time job."

South Swindon MP Julia Drown, who is helping parents launch a campaign for road safety in West Swindon by supporting a 20mph limit outside all schools, said: "I think school patrol officers are an invaluable addition to road safety around schools."

Swindon's schools hope that this week's National Walk to School Week will show children the benefits of abandoning the bus or their parents' car.

Drove Primary School teacher Shonah Pople said: "A lot of our children live around here but are driven to school and it's good for everyone if they walk.

"We had a Walk to School Week in the past and it was a great success, our parents were keen to do it again and they have supported it really well.

"It is great exercise, it's good for the environment and it helps them learn about road safety while cutting down the number of cars around the school."

Jose Silva, 30, a sales assistant from Swindon was walking to Drove Primary with his three-year-old son Mauricio, who attends pre-school classes there. He said: "I walk to school most of the time but sometimes I get the car because it is easy. I think it is good exercise and Mauricio doesn't mind it."

Maca Munoz, 25, a housewife from Walcot said: "The walk to Drove School takes about 20 minutes with my son but he enjoys all the scenes he sees on the way.

"It is good for his asthma because his doctor recommended he get as much exercise as possible."

n While there have been no serious accidents outside Swindon schools recently, concerns have been raised about the speed and behaviour of drivers putting children at risk.

Last year lollipop lady Heaven Knapp, who worked at Robert Le Kyng Primary, resigned after she claimed abusive drivers reduced her to a nervous wreck. She demanded a re-think over the road layout of Westcott Place.

Anyone who would like to become a school crossing patrol officer, or lollipop person, is asked to contact Swindon 466399.