VILLAGE parents whose lollipop lady has been off work ill for six weeks are concerned about the dangers of crossing the road near the primary school. On Friday morning a seven-year-old girl narrowly missed being hit by a van on the zebra crossing. Mum Ke

VILLAGE parents whose lollipop lady has been off work ill for six weeks are concerned about the dangers of crossing the road near the primary school.

On Friday morning a seven-year-old girl narrowly missed being hit by a van on the zebra crossing.

Mum Kelly Mathew said she was walking her daughter Olivia and her three-year-old son Kyran to Colney Heath JMI School in the High Street ataround 8.45am.

She said: "Olivia ran ahead and was waiting at the side of the road when a car stopped for her and she was just about to step out when I saw a large white van come thundering up from the opposite direction and I shouted at her to stop. I yanked her back just in time but the white van failed to stop. Despite there being a number of witnesses, none of us got his number."

Mrs Mathew called the police but they could not help without the registration number.

St Albans District Councillorr Chris Brazier, whose ward it is, said he and the head teacher of the school had been trying for years to get a raised zebra crossing - rather like a huge speed hump - installed there.

He added: "It's the old story. Unless someone has been killed there, there's never any money available to put in traffic-calming measures. It would cost around £70,000.

"But we know it's dangerous because drivers use it as a rat run to the M25. A previous lollipop lady got hit there and I think whoever does the job is taking her life in her hands as there's no guarantee the traffic will stop."

A spokesperson for Herts County Council said it was hoped the lollipop lady would be back to work soon. Efforts to recruit a replacement had been unsuccessful but Herts Highways were also investigating to see if there were any measures they could take to improve safety at the site.