Lollipop man banned from showing 'thank you' sign to drivers

As he escorts a group of schoolchildren safely across the road, lollipop man Phil Boreham raises a 'thank you' sign to drivers. It is a small gesture to show he appreciates them stopping at his crossing on Princes Avenue, west Hull. The four-inch round sign, made out of black card, slipped on to his hand with string. On it, he simply wrote: "Thank you".

But after using the sign for months, Mr Boreham has been banned from wearing it by council officials. The 63-year-old, who has been working as a lollipop man for just over a year, was told that the sign may "distract motorists". Hull city councillor Mike Ross said that it is illegal for a school crossing patrol officer to display any sign other than the traditional lollipop.



Mr Boreham, of Dundee Street, west Hull, became a lollipop man last year after being made redundant from his job of 40 years at Caradon Ideal on National Avenue, west Hull. He said: "People have been asking me where the sign is now that I'm not using it. "When I made it, the children used to ask me what it was for, so I said that they thank me for helping them across the road, so I thank the drivers for stopping for me.

"When people have their windows up, they can't hear me say thank you, so I decided to make a sign instead. It was just to show my appreciation and some common courtesy, which I think goes a long way." However, Mr Ross said the council had no choice but to ask Mr Boreham to stop using the sign. "Unfortunately our hands are tied and he was asked to stop using the sign, as it is actually illegal."

There's a news video here.