PUPILS and staff at Great Malvern Primary School bid farewell to their long-standing lollipop man on Tuesday.

County council policy forced Stan Pratty to step down from the post on reaching his 75th birthday.

At a special school assembly, Mr Pratty was presented with a digital camera and a cake to mark more than 30 years' service to the school.

Headteacher Jonathan Sides said: "Stan's a great chap. Everybody loves him and he's wonderful with the children, like an honorary granddaddy."

After the assembly, Mr Pratty went out to help parents and toddlers cross Pickersleigh Road for the last time.

"I'm going to miss it but it'll give me more time in the garden," he said.

However, Mr Pratty will still be a familiar face around the school, since he is also one of the caretakers.

"He used to be a carpenter and can turn his hand to anything," said Mr Sides. "He's invaluable."