Mandie Gorst, a beloved lollipop lady who has been a helped children and parents cross the road at Lytham Hall Primary School for six years, has quit her job saying she no longer feels safe around impatient drivers who refuse to slow down.
Mandie Gorst says that she has been sworn and spat at – and almost mowed down by motorists who ignore her pleas to keep to the 20mph speed limit on the school run. She even says that some parents shout out her.
Mandie, who is a mother herself and has enjoyed an association with the school for 20 years, told the Mail On-LIne, ‘I have resigned because I can no longer keep either the children or myself safe. I’m tired of stepping into the road wondering if the car is going to stop or if I am going to get abuse. Some parents shout out me, and one lad on a bike spat at me when I told him he should have stopped.’
She also she was also having issues with illegally parked vehicles and had reported their number plates to the police.
She continued giving this vivid description of her most difficult job as a lollipop lady, ‘They just park wherever they want. On double and single yellow lines and on blind bends. It’s worse when it’s raining because they try to park as close the school gates as possible. I’ve had a couple of drivers fail to stop and keep on driving when I’ve been in the road. I don’t feel safe. It is not just at this school; it is at most schools. I have had an association with the school for 20 years. I am sad to leave but I feel I don’t have a choice.’
Stephen Coates, who was collecting his grandson, agreed with Mandie, telling the Mail: ‘It is a problem. As you can see, cars are parked all over the place. Most people park responsibly but some just don’t care and don’t consider others.’
26-year-old mum of two Jessica Hunter also agreed: ‘I feel sorry for the lollipop lady because it is a thankless job. I think that she is a brave woman. I certainly wouldn’t want to be walking into the road with my back to traffic. People don’t want to walk so park on the double yellow lines.’
Last week, Lytham St. Anne’s News reported upon the problems outside Lytham Park Primary School as well las other local schools: https://www.lythamstannes.news/news/fylde-police-increase-presence-robust-enforcements-at-local-schools/ This report included a picture of an Audi which police towed away.
