A lollipop lady today called for drivers to be more aware of a school pedestrian crossing before there is a serious accident.

Lyn Hall, 52, made the plea after nearly being run over by a motorist in a road rage incident as she tried to help youngsters across a busy junction in Leigh.

She fears a child will be seriously injured or killed by drivers speeding through red lights at the crossing outside West Leigh infants and junior schools in London Road.

Lyn, of Kent Avenue, Leigh, who has worked there as a lollipop lady for three years, was about to take around a dozen youngsters and their parents over the road when the road rage incident took place.

The traffic lights had turned red and the pedestrian crossing light was green, so she started to walk into the middle of the road with her stop sign.

As she did so, a blue grey F-reg Land Rover Discovery turned from Eastwood Road onto London Road and approached the crossing.

Lyn said: "He was not going fast so I raised my lollipop.

"He stopped before the lights and I saw he was using a mobile phone.

"I challenged him over this and he got very abusive. He was shouting 'shut up, shut up'."

She added: "Then the rage seemed to set in. The man revved up the engine and drove at me.

"It was a very frightening experience."

Lyn narrowly escaped injury as the car hit her stop sign as it accelerated away.

But she was left deeply shocked.

The driver, who had a passenger in the car, drove off without even looking behind him.

She said: "The man was senseless. His actions were totally out of order.

"I am sure by the way he was looking at me, if there had been a child in the road they would have been under his wheels.

"I would urge people to take more care when they get to a crossing, otherwise someone could be badly hurt."

Left deeply shocked - lollipop lady Lyn Hall narrowly escaped injury during a road rage incident at a school pedestrian crossing

Picture: ROBIN WOOSEY History of problems

There have been a history of traffic problems outside West Leigh junior and infants schools - prompting council bosses to include it in a pioneering scheme.

The two schools have taken part in the Safer Routes to School pilot study carried out by Southend Council.

The scheme looks at ways of encouraging children to walk to school rather being driven by their parents.

There had been complaints from parents at the school about other parents dropping children off by car, causing traffic jams.

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