A FORMER lollipop man whose school patrol has become the centre of a bitter argument between worried mothers and the council, is angry at being forced out of the job he loved.

Mr Frank Coward has accused the council of "age discrimination" after he was told he had to retire when he reached 65.

The fit pensioner, whose patch was outside the St Simon and St Jude School in Newport Road, Great Lever, had only lost one week through illness during his stint of nearly six years.

However, due to council policy he had to retire when he reached 65 earlier this month.

Since then, anxious mothers have taken on the role of emergency lollipop ladies to escort their own children across the busy road.

Mr Coward said: "It is frustrating because I would have been happy to carry on.

"It is a stupid situation. That road is dangerous - busier than ever since Bolton Royal Infirmary closed - and I am willing to patrol it.

"I am fit and well, and no one else wants the job. I would even be happy to help out on a six month contract. "I had a great relationship with the kids and mothers. I started after 33 years in industry and taking a golden handshake at 60 years old. The intention was to do it for three months, but I found I liked it.

"Before I finished I warned my bosses at the council that the road was a very busy one and when I retired, I assumed there would be someone in to replace me."

However, Bolton Council highways chief Mr Dave Sutton, said his department had to follow policy - but that thanks to the BEN the problem of the unattended road might soon be solved.

He said: "Council policy means that people have to retire at 65 and we have to adhere to that.

"We are generally finding it hard to find replacements and are 20 per cent down for the whole of the borough. We rely on people coming forward to apply, in answer to advertisements.

"But since Monday's report highlighting the problem at Newport Road we have had one or two enquiries about the job."

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