Lancashire's longest serving lollipop lady leads children across the road one last time
Lancashire's longest-serving lollipop lady has announced her retirement after more than 56 years getting children across the road safely.
Irene Reid, 85, has helped kids safely cross the street outside Longridge Church of England Primary School in Longridge for 56 years.
She first started the role in 1969 and is believed to be the UK's longest serving lollipop lady, but humble Irene insists she enjoys it because of the children and the weather.
Irene was awarded a MBE for her services in 2012 and last year was given an award from Lancashire County Council to recognise her 55 years of service.
But she had to be persuaded to take the role, as she didn't want to wear the uniform at first.
The great-grandmother of 10 said: “I had four little children so we needed to get some more money because we were always broke.
“A lovely lady was retiring and she kept trying to persuade me to do it, but I kept saying I wasn't wearing that uniform because I was only young.”
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She added: “In the end I said I would try but the idea was to do it until my children got to high school or something.
“But that didn't work out - because I'm still there five years later.”
She told BBC Radio Lancashire she plans to spend her retirement seeing more of her family and her granddaughter's rescue dogs, as well as knitting and sewing.
And what will she miss the most? The children of course!