A LOLLIPOP lady who has safely crossed five generations of school children across the road celebrated fifty years of loyal service this week.

Taking over the lollipop reins back in 1973, Margaret Clive started on the Warrington Road school cross patrol in Rainhill, in what she thought was a temporary position.

However, as the cross patrols were transferred from the authority of the police to the council in 1974, nobody ever came to replace Margaret and she has since stood as a safe and familiar figure for five decades.

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St Helens Star: Margaret continued to patrol the road during the pandemicMargaret continued to patrol the road during the pandemic (Image: St Helens Council)
After putting up '50' balloons at the side of Warrington Road to mark the milestone earlier this month - which some children mistook for Margaret's 50th birthday - local councillors and council officials came to celebrate the occasion with the lollipop lady this week.

Margaret was also gifted flowers and a certificate from the surprise greeting.

Margaret said: "I'm made up, to be honest, and I had a big smile on my face because I didn't think I was going to be recognised like that.

"I only started as a lollipop lady to help out the police, which I thought was going to be for three weeks, but no one ever came to replace me.

"I'm seeing the fifth generation of children now and it's lovely because I always see familiar faces, and those who have grown up and had kids themselves, or people who have moved away and come back to Rainhill.

"I didn't think I'd get to 50 years but I still enjoy the job and getting out so I'm not thinking about retiring yet!"

St Helens Star: Rainhill parish councillors celebrated Margaret's 80th birthday in 2021Rainhill parish councillors celebrated Margaret's 80th birthday in 2021 (Image: Rainhill Parish Council)
While traffic has gotten busier since she took on the job along Warrington Road, Margaret said she still loves chatting with the children and parents from St Bartholomew's, St Anne's, Oakdene, and Rainhill High.

With no plans to retire, the 82-year-old added that she is "so grateful" for all the positive messages and said she "can't thank the community enough" for their support over the past 50 years.