PARENTS at a Winchester school have launched a campaign to bring back their lollipop man amid fears for children's safety.

Volunteers and staff at Weeke Primary School have been donning hi-vis jackets to help children cross the road after county chiefs chose not to replace long-time patrolman Robin Pritchard.

Campaigners say cost-cutting measures by Hampshire County Council have put children at risk during busy rush hour traffic on Stoney Lane.

Mr Pritchard took voluntary redundancy as part of a Hampshire-wide reduction in school crossing patrols. Schools like Weeke, where there are crossings marked on the road, will not have their patrols replaced when staff quit or retire.

But parents say motorists often ignore the zebra crossing at Weeke's school gates, installed as part of a deal to bring Waitrose to Stockbridge Road. The school has written to the council asking them to review the decision.

Hampshire Chronicle:

Campaign leader David Adams said: "By removing the service the county council has increased the risk of a child being hit on that crossing. If you bring the lollipop person back that risk becomes almost nothing.

"We're not happy with the response that we've had."

He urged the council to repeat a 2011 traffic survey, warning that the Barton Farm development could send more traffic onto Stoney Lane.

Headteacher Michelle Loughrey is among the volunteers keeping pupils from crossing at dangerous times, but only lollipop people are legally allowed to stop traffic.

Ms Loughrey said: "The school is working with Hampshire County Council and has written to ask them to reconsider their decision not to replace the school crossing patrol.

"The school’s priority is the children’s safety and well-being which is why we have written to Hampshire to ask them to review their decision.

"We have been offered a special assembly by the Council to teach the children about using the zebra crossing which we will be accepting."

County councillor Martin Tod said: "Standing here today, seeing how much traffic there is, how little attention they're paying, how fast they can sometimes be going in the afternoon, and it really showed how important it is that we do get a lollipop man back on this crossing.

"The county's got some rules that say they don't want to replace them, but they do have the discretion, they do have the option to overwrite those rules if the need is there, and I think from what I've seen today, the need is definitely there."

The campaign has amassed more than 130 followers on Facebook in the past week.

Cllr Seán Woodward, Hampshire County Council's executive member for transport, declined to comment before a visit to Weeke scheduled for Monday.