CHILDREN’S lives will be at risk if lollipop patrols disappear from Dorset’s streets by the end of the year, parents are warning.

In a bid to save £200,000, Dorset County Council is looking to pull the plug on school crossing patrol salaries and asking town and parish councils to foot the bill or find volunteers to help children cross the road.

Some lollipop people have already had redundancy notices, even though councillors will not decide until a budget meeting on Thursday, February 17.

Many will go by the end of the summer term, with all 65 going by Christmas 2011, unless the smaller councils find between £1,000 and £1,300 per term, or people are willing to volunteer.

Mum-of-three Emelye Purser, who successfully campaigned for a crossing patrol in Blandford St Mary, said she was distressed to learn the service could disappear.

Mrs Purser said: “It’s awful. We can’t let this slip away without doing something. Pupils at our school use two lollipop ladies and walk to school because they are there.

“It’s essential. Without them there will be accidents or even fatalities. It’s a real black spot with parents parking up and lorries and coaches driving by.”

Mrs Purser, who is willing to start another campaign or a petition says schools need to club together to make a stand.

“It’s very unlikely that a volunteer system will work,” she said. “It was a good year before someone was found to take up the employed role.

“My 10-year-old daughter enjoys walking to school with her friends, but she won’t be doing it if the lollipop lady’s not there.

“Their pay isn’t much, about £60 a week, but she provides a real link between parents and the school.”

Since the Daily Echo revealed the possibility of the service being cut in December, the county council has said it will go ahead with the plan and has offered to train, manage and supervise any volunteers.

But Cllr Janet Dover, county, district and parish councillor for Colehill, said school crossing patrols are an essential service that people are happy to pay their council tax for.

“This is clearly a huge concern for parents and hits what people can expect from their council,” she said. “I can see more children travelling by car, making our roads congested, instead of getting to school safely in a green way.

“This worst case scenario is horrendous, putting the safety of children at risk.”

She added: “People need to be aware of this as a prospect.

“If they really think it’s important for the safety of the children, they should be saying: ‘No, this is not acceptable’.

“I accept money must be saved, but not on something as important as this.”

Cllr Peter Finney, the county’s cabinet member for highways, said he understood redundancy letters were being sent out as part of a “rolling programme”.

If a school feels a crossing is “really necessary” they could perhaps fund it themselves, and a lollipop lady who had previously had a redundancy letter could return to work.

Bournemouth council says it has no plans to cut funding to its 46 crossing patrols.

Poole employs 26 people to help children cross the roads, with five relief staff to cover sickness or holiday. A spokesman said it had no present plans to alter the service.

A petition has been started asking the county council to reconsider its decision. Visit http://save-lollipop-people.blogspot.com/ for details.