Lollipop lady, 80, to retire after 54 years

Joyce Shaughnessy began as a lollipop lady in 1968

An 80-year-old lollipop lady is due to retire after 54 years in her role.

Joyce Shaughnessy has helped school children cross Dunstable Road to four schools in Ampthill, Bedfordshire, since 1968.

She will hang up her lollipop and hi-vis jacket when this term comes to an end in December.

"The children all call me Mrs Lollipop as when I first met them in reception class they couldn’t say my surname," she said.

Speaking to BBC Three Counties Radio she said she was cleaning houses before she took up the safety role.

"I walked past the school with my son and a teacher said to me, 'The lady that’s doing the lollipop wants a few weeks off, would you do it?' and I did it and got stuck there," she said.

Ms Shaughnessy said some of children she helped cross when she started "are now great-grandparents, so, I’ve been crossing [their families] over as well - grandchildren and great-grandchildren".

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She said she had decided to retire partly because of the increasing temperatures during the summer months.

"I didn’t like the last summer, I suffer from arthritis that’s worse in the summer," she said.

Ms Shaughnessy added: "I’ve only had school holidays off and there are things I want to do which I can only do during term time."

She said she intends to spend her time gardening, fishing and "seeing some places I haven’t been able to see".