GREAT Malvern Primary School is still without a school crossing supervisor and its headteacher fears one may never be appointed.

Since Stan Pratty retired as lollipop man last May, the school has had no-one to help children cross the busy Pickersleigh Road.

Head Jonathan Sides has been acting as crossing patrol supervisor on particularly bad days but no one has been found to take on the job properly.

"I doubt that we ever will," said Mr Sides. "It's a job that nobody seems to want to do."

Efforts are ongoing to get a pelican crossing installed outside the school, but the cost of around £40,000 is prohibitive.

"I have no news at the moment of the arrival of a new crossing but I do know that people are working hard to get funding for that," said Mr Sides.

"If that funding could be found it would be a huge benefit."

Parents have been pushing the school and Worcestershire County Council for action since last year, handing in a petition of more than 1,000 signatures.

Mike Davis, of the Malvern Hills Highways Partnership, said improvements had already been carried out to Pickersleigh Road in the form of road markings, signs and flashing beacons.

"A lot of work has already been done to address the concerns of parents and we are looking at alternative sources of funding.

"We are confident that we will be able to proceed, but nothing has been confirmed."