I was a lollipop lady for the day and what i saw almost brought me to tears

ECHO REPORTER MEGAN BANNER SPENT THE MORNING OUTSIDE A PRIMARY SCHOOL WITH AN 'UNSUNG HERO' 04:00, 21 May 2025 At some point they have been a part of everybody’s life, on your

first day of school until the very last, you see them five days a week for 11 years and they're at the heart of every community - but they're much more than somebody that helps you

cross the road. In fact, school crossing patrols - otherwise known as lollipop people - silently do a lot more than you might think and what I saw last week, when I spent the morning with

lollipop lady Philomena Hillman, 73, almost brought me to tears. Every morning without fail, come rain or shine lollipop people are standing simultaneously at their patrol stop greeting

hundreds of children and their parents on their commute to and from schools across the country. Growing up, Tony the lollipop man, who stood on the main road outside my school, was someone

I'd say hello to every day. Without realising it Tony watched me grow up and for many lollipop people across the country this is the case. Philomena Hillman, 73, has been a school

crossing patrol - lollipop lady - on Lambshear Lane outside Lydiate Primary School, Lydiate, since 2003 and has seen many children grow up. She told the ECHO how she's seen children

become adults, then their children come to the school. I spent the morning with Philomena, known as Phil, this week to see exactly what the vital role is really like. Phil starts her day

outside Lydiate Primary School at around 8.20am, where she'll safely cross dozens of children on their way to school. She told me she usually has a "mad rush" just before the

school gates shut at 8.40am before heading home before doing it all again at around 3pm. Phil said: "I enjoy it because I get to meet new people everyday, parents as well as the

children and they tell you all different things, we always have a little chat. Everyone says hello, the kids high five you. "I'm a member of the community because I have been here

so long. I just enjoy it, it gets me out, it keeps you going. I really enjoy it and some of the kids are so cute, it's lovely." And she's absolutely right, in the one morning

school run I spent on patrol with Phil my heart melted at all the smiley and happy children who went out of their way to come and say hello to the 73-year-old. She knew the majority of them

by name, but what almost brought me to tears was when one little lad hung out the back window of a car to wave and shout hello to Phil as his parent drove past, honestly it was arguably the

cutest thing I'd ever seen. Phil said: "I usually cross him in the morning, he is a lovely kid, he must have drove in today." That moment alone made me realise how important

our lollipop people really are, they're not just someone who makes sure our children cross the road safely, they're a warm, smiley face who are there every single day at the heart

of communities - I'd go as far to call them our unsung heroes. In fact, one lollipop man, who had been at the centre of his community for so long; who was loved and welcomed by

everyone, had a bridge named after him after he sadly passed away. In Netherton you will find a bridge called Arthur’s bridge and the sweet reason behind Arthur's bridge is that the

community in Netherton, where he worked for many years, came together to put it there following the news of his death. I'm told: "Arthur worked as a school crossing patrol for

years and years. He saw kids go from tiny babies to adults to crossing their kids. He worked for Sefton Council for many years but sadly passed away. "After he passed away the community

came together to get the bridge, where he stood on his patrol, named after him and they did. It's now called Arthur's bridge and there is a plaque on the bridge near where he

stood." As smiley and pleasant as the job sounds, our unsung heroes play a vital part in keeping our communities safe. The role was founded in 1994, taking over from the police and now

they keep thousands of children across 90 patrols in Sefton safe five days a week. For the latest news and breaking news visit liverpoolecho.co.uk/news. Get all the big headlines, pictures,

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