I’ve been a lollipop lady for 45 years, so now it’s time for me to STOP!

2017 DEDICATED Margaret Cattle has safely shepherded school children across the same busy road for 45 years.

Believed to be Britain’s longest serving lollipop lady, she has watched over three generations of local families, crossed the same road hundreds of thousands of times and walked up to 3,000 miles in the course of her duties.

But at the end of the month she will hand in her Stop sign to begin a well-earned retirement. Grandmother-of-six Mrs Cattle was a 25- year-old mother of two young children when she began the role in 1972. And she has lived on Southwood Road, which she patrols in Cottingham, Hull, for many years.

She has the odd problem with a rude motorist, but there’s never been an accident on her watch.

And while her uniform and sign have altered a little, the only change she’s noticed is that the youngsters are ‘a bit feistier’. Mrs Cattle, 69, spent 30 of her 45 years campaigning for a pedestrian crossing and when the council finally agreed, she petitioned it again to stop it going in the wrong place. Two years ago her efforts were recognised with a local authority Unsung Hero award.

Mrs Cattle, married to retired butcher Michael, 73, now only does the afternoon shift. She said: ‘It’s been my way of life for so long and I’ve loved it,’ she said. ‘But I have to be back at the crossing for 3pm every day and it’s a bit tying. It’s just time to take a step back.’

1972 Sign of the times: When she started out, Mrs Cattle was just 25

Career path: Mrs Cattle is still helping pupils cross the road almost half a century after she began