A VILLAGE has rallied around its lollipop lady after her car was crashed into in a ‘hit and run’.

Lauren Cannon is the lollipop lady in Lytchett Matravers and was faced with a bill of £700 to fix damage to her car after it was driven into late at night on April 14.

But when parents Sophie Sullivan and Venessa Stephen heard about what she would need to pay, they decided to help in anyway they could, and set up a GoFundMe.

Sophie said Lauren is a 'legend' who goes ‘above and beyond’ for the children.

“She's been lollipop lady there now for a good few years,” she said.

“She always puts a smile on all of our faces, she tells jokes in the morning, she knows the kids' names off by heart.”

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Sophie added: “She's there, rain or shine, every single day. Honestly, she's just the most positive person.”

Venessa suggested the pair set up the page after they heard about Lauren’s bill for the car, which her partner, a carer, also uses to get himself to work.

“There's 3,500 people on the Facebook group in the village,” Sophie said.

“If we all chipped in, it would be lots of people making a big difference, rather than her having the unexpected outlay of £700.”

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Sophie and Venessa’s sons, who are best friends in reception at Lytchett Matravers Primary School, also dipped into their money tins to help out.

The pair made drawings for Lauren and put their coins in an envelope to give to her to be put towards the repairs.

Within a few days of setting up the fundraiser, it had raised £545.

“I got an email every time someone donated,” Sophie said.

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“I looked at my phone, I had about 45 emails come through. So and so has donated five pounds, so and so donated ten pounds.

“It was amazing.”

She said Lauren was ‘absolutely blown away’ and ‘overcome with emotion’ over the fundraiser and the response.

To donate, search ‘Let's help our Lollipop lady get her car fixed’ on GoFundMe.