THE axe has fallen on a veteran lollipop lady amidst fears there will be an accident on the road she patrols.

Pat Hemming, aged 76, has served the community for 32 years, safely crossing children on Easemore Road.

The children are from St Stephen's First School in Mabey Avenue, off Meadowhill Road.

The crossing was recently reviewed by Worcestershire County Council which said the patrol site no longer met the national criteria and decided it would be closed.

Previously Mrs Hemming, who patrols the road at 8.30am till 9am and at 2.55 until 3.25, collected two pages of signatures from parents who were concerned about safety should she be made redundant.

She is concerned that people avoiding the speed bumps will have an accident and hit a child.

Mrs Hemming said she would be "devastated" if a child was hurt.

"I am disappointed," she said.

"They (Worcestershire County Council) are going to give the children at the school some training for crossing the roads but you know what they little ones are like- they run off."

She also argues that although the council say on average only 12 buses go up and down the road in the half-hour before and after school, she claims there are sometimes up to 20.

Following the decision, she was told she could finish her patrols immediately but she decided to work her three months' notice as she is concerned about the children during the darker winter evenings.

Parent Tony Jarvis, who has two children who attend St Stephen's, said: "I am sure an accident will happen there. Safety is not just about having the lollipop lady but she did make people more aware."

A Worcestershire County Council spokesman said: "All school crossing patrol sites are reviewed periodically with reference to national criteria that is used by all local authorities.

"The review included extensive data gathering and unfortunately none of this data has indicated any exceptional circumstances for keeping the site open.

"Staff and students at St Stephen's First School will be offered road safety education and training, elements of which have already been booked for November.

"Pedestrian safety is our priority, and it is important to ensure that school crossing patrols are provided in locations where they are most needed."