A MALVERN headteacher is so concerned about road safety outside his school he has volunteered as a lollipop man.

So far 850 people have put their names to a petition in support of a new road crossing outside the school.

Great Malvern Primary headteacher Jonathan Sides said he felt the road was so dangerous he had no choice but to pick up the lollipop stop sign when Stan Pratty stood down from the post last month.

Mr Sides said one mum with a pushchair and two young children had found it so difficult to cross on one occasion that other parents had to force traffic to a halt.

Difficult

He is now taking it in turns with school governor Graham Hughes to escort children across busy Pickersleigh Road at the beginning and end of the school day.

Over the past eight months, concerned parents Debbie Stanley and Linda Linder have gathered 850 names on a petition demanding a new crossing.

'It's extremely difficult to cross safely," said Mrs Linder. "I really don't know what else we can do.

"Unfortunately, I don't think anything will be done until a child gets injured, or worse.

"I don't want to have to say 'I told you so'."

Mrs Linder said even if a permanent replacement for Mr Pratty were found it would not solve the problem, as many children attend after-school clubs.

Mr Sides said he "passionately" supported their campaign.

"I can't think of anything more important than the safety of children on the roads," he said.

Mr Sides said two existing crossings at Barnards Green and near the Madresfield Road junction were too far away to be useful for parents with small children in bad weather.

Worcestershire Highways Partnership spokesman John Wallace said the case for a crossing at the site was examined two years ago.

He said the county council was close to appointing a new lollipop man and that there were no current plans to introduce a crossing.

However, he added that if strong public feeling was demonstrated in favour of a crossing, the case would have to be looked at again.