A WORRIED Bolton mum is accusing Bolton Council of gambling with children's safety after moving a lollipop lady to another location.

Patricia Bolton is angry that the patrol normally located at the traffic lights at the junction of Bury Road and Long Lane, Breightmet is missing this week.

But Bolton Council says it has no choice as a dire shortage of people wanting the job means there are currently up to a dozen sites left without someone to help children cross.

Mrs Bolton, of Mobberley Road takes her sons Daniel, aged six, and Joe, aged four to nearby Crompton Fold primary school each morning.

But she says other children, who are not accompanied by adults, risk being hit by traffic on the busy Bury Road because of the regular absence of a school crossing patrol who is sent to cover for sickness at other locations.

"It is such a dangerous place and the cars don't always stop," said Mrs Bolton.

"The last time there was no lollipop lady three months ago I saw two children nearly knocked down."

Dave Sutton, Bolton's head of highway planning and regulation denied they are gambling with children's safety.

"We are trying to do exactly the opposite," he said.

He stressed that the Bury Road/Long Lane junction has a red/green man to help pedestrians cross whereas there was nothing to help a larger number of children at Long Lane/Blenheim Road cross when their lollipop lady fell ill. Mr Sutton admitted it was not an ideal situation to move crossing patrols but he was left with no alternative.

He stressed that existing lollipop people who work the 130 Bolton locations are very dedicated and said he was puzzled why more people are not applying for the jobs. "It is a general situation we would like to overcome," said Mr Sutton.

Anyone interested in applying can contact Bolton's road safety unit on Bolton 522311 ext 4045.

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