FOUR Schools in Worcester are likely to lose their Lollipop patrols in county council cuts.

Worcestershire County Council wants to make 15 Lollipop men or women redundant across the county, with four to go in Worcester and one in Malvern.

If all 15 were made redundant, the council would save £45,000 a year.

The affected schools are Northwick Manor Primary, in Ombersley Road, Perdiswell Primary in Bilford Road, Our Lady Queen of Peace RC Primary in Bransford Road and St Barnabas Primary in Green Lane.

The authority says crossing guards will only be cut from schools where there is already a light-controlled or zebra crossing, or where one will be put in.

Councillor Lucy Hodgson, cabinet member for communities, pointed out that some of the patrols pre-dated crossings being installed.

But the news was greeted with concern by parents collecting their children from Our Lady Queen of Peace RC primary in St John’s.

Alex Pugh, 36, picked up her son aged three, from the nursery school. She said: “It’s quite a complex crossing at the corner. I’d be worried for those older children who don’t have a parent to bring them or pick them up. It’s much better with a person there to help.”

Hayley Bosworth, 36, picking up her daughter, said: “It’s much quicker with the lollipop lady. I don’t know if children will have the patience to wait and they might take risks.”

Another parent who didn’t wish to give her name said: “Cars do come round the corner at some speed. It’s worrying.”

Bosses at Northwick Manor Primary School, in Worcester, were also concerned.

Kate Brunt is the chief executive of the Rivers Multi-Academy Trust, which runs the school as well as eight others.

She said: “This feels like quite a short-sighted, short-term saving.

“Lollipop guards don’t cost very much money, so the saving isn’t huge, but it could put more children at risk on the roads. And the costs of an accident would be much higher."

Councillor Lucy Hodgson, cabinet member for communities said: “The safety of our children and young people getting to and from schools in this county is really important to us.

"Our priority is that we have school crossing patrols at sites where they are needed.

"We are proposing to only remove patrols that are at sites where zebra or light controlled crossings already exist to enable safe crossing or where national policy determines it does not meet need."

"We currently have patrols that work on light-controlled crossings or zebra crossings and in many cases they pre-date the crossing being installed.

"Road safety education and training will be offered to schools affected by these proposed changes.

"The training develops the behaviours and attitudes needed for safe road usage, reducing the reliance on the school crossing patrol service.

"We will be consulting with staff affected and listening to their feedback.

"We are working towards bringing in the changes by the start of the new school term in September."

Worcestershire's crossing guards are paid £7.89 per hour. Hours of work vary between about 10 hours and five hours a week.