Parents are concerned for their children’s safety after a lollipop lady is thought to have been hit by a car at an unmarked school crossing.

The patroller for Southwood Primary School in Dagenham has not returned to work since suffering bruising more than two weeks ago.

As a result, children have been tackling the crossing alone – until an enquiry by the Post prompted the appearance of a replacement traffic enforcer yesterday. It is unclear whether this is a long-term measure.

“It’s an accident waiting to happen,” said concerned parent Lisa Sands, who takes her seven-year-old son, Dylan, to school via the Wood Lane and Keppel Road junction.

“If the lollipop lady doesn’t have a chance, what chance do the kids have?”

With no proper crossing, parents and pupils rely on a traffic island and the council-employed lollipop lady to make it to the other side.

“There can be 15 or so of us at the island,” Lisa, 40, explained. “When she [the lollipop lady] isn’t there, it’s really hard to get across.”

Lisa made a complaint to the council a fortnight ago, but says she is still waiting for a response.

“At the moment it’s such a problem [as] we have to walk the long way round,” she added. “There should be a crossing, and the lollipop lady service needs to be addressed.

“Obviously everyone gets ill, but I can’t understand why the lollipop lady wasn’t replaced.”

Other parents agree.

“They are putting children’s lives at risk,” said Carly Donnelly, 32, who has two children at the Keppel Road school.

“We have no idea whether this [replacement] lollipop man will be here tomorrow.”

A council spokesman said:

“The staff member has been off sick and a cover has since been arranged.

“An officer has since resumed at the location and is providing cover.”