PARENTS at Compton Primary School are urging Hampshire County Council to employ a lollipop person to make crossing the road to and from the school safer for children.

Their fears mounted last week after they reported a near miss between a car, four children and two adults close to the school.

A council spokeswoman said it will conduct a survey to see if a patrol should be provided.

One parent offered her services as a lollipop lady to the council for free in a bid to improve safety. She said: "I will not sit back and wait for one of our children to be run over before something is done. I am disgusted that the council feel they can play with our children's lives in this way and not do something to prevent a nasty accident happening. I would not forgive myself if something dreadful did happen outside Compton School and I hadn't tried to make the road safer for our children to cross.

"The head teacher has been brilliant and has tried hard to improve safety but the council needs to do something too."

Head teacher, Lindsay McCarthy, said the school had worked in partnership with Hampshire County Council and the police to put in place a number of measures regarding road safety, including restricted parking at peak times, a request crossing with warning signage and regular monitoring by the Police.

She added that the school also had a travel plan and that new parents were given comprehensive guidance information on parking safely and parents were informed and updated regularly on road safety issues through newsletters.

She said that the school has been advised that Hampshire County Council's Road Safety Team will conduct a survey to assess the need for a lollipop man or lady.

The county spokeswoman said: "The County Council will carry out a survey to assess whether there's a need for a school crossing patrol, looking at the numbers of pedestrians versus the number of vehicles. If it meets the criteria, the post will be advertised."

She added that the council would conduct interviews like any other job.

Last summer a flashing speed sign, which was erected just south of Compton Street, recorded 27,181 cases of motorists flouting the 40mph speed limit in two weeks.