Mary Taylor named Kirklees Lollipop Idol by children at Christ Church Woodhouse School

Sep 4 2010 Huddersfield Daily Examiner

TO thousands of children she has been their idol for 23 years.

But now Mary Thomas has officially been crowned the Kirklees Lollipop Idol after 50 of her school children heaped praise on her.

Mary has been working as a lollipop lady for 23 years, starting when her three children went to Christ Church Woodhouse School.

She only intended to stay in the job while her children remained at the school, but she continued as she loves helping the children.

Now she’s thrilled her work means so much to the children she helps to safely cross the road every day.

She was nominated by year five pupil Domanic Moseley, 10, who wrote a brilliant letter about how Mary risked her life to help others.

Mary, 50, who was a pupil at the same school herself, said: “The children didn’t know I’d won until they went back yesterday, they were all congratulating me.

“I had a big smile on my face all day because it means a lot they’ve chosen me as a winner.

“I couldn’t have done it without the letter the little boy Domanic wrote – it was really moving, saying how much I helped the children and put my life at risk for them.

“I still enjoy it because I like working with the children.”

Mary works at the brow of the hill on Deighton Road, a location she said could be risky if she weren’t there to help the children.

She added: “Some drivers could come speeding up if they didn’t know the area, but it’s where I’ve always been and everyone knows to drive up slowly.

“Thankfully there’s never been an accident and touch wood it never happens.”

Mary said she has seen children come and go and return as mothers and fathers themselves.

She added: “It’s funny as I’ve seen some leave and now their children are coming to the school.

“I love my job and will carry on for as long as I can because I enjoy it so much.”

More than 500 children wrote in to nominate their favourite lollipop lady or man. Mary was crowned the winner, beating off competition from the 90 other lollipop ladies and men who work outside Kirklees schools every day.

Headteacher Jennifer Davies said the school was over the moon Mary and Domanic had won.

She said: “We are thrilled for her and Domanic, they justly deserved their win.