I CAN definitely remember falling in love with our school’s lollipop lady.

I can’t remember her name, but I virtually bankrupt myself at the age of six by investing most of my pocket money on wooing her with sweets.

I do remember that she took no prisoners when it came to drivers speeding along the busy main road I had to cross twice a day on the way to and from school.

For a few seconds of each day of my school life, she was in charge of my well-being and she took the responsibility seriously.

I’d like to think that my parents and those of all the small children with their lives stretching gloriously ahead of them would have been disgusted if this raven-haired beauty had been summarily discarded by the pen-pushers who governed her part-time career.

But that’s what appears to be happening today as more than half of Dorset schools are forced into a corner that could see them lose their school crossing patrols.

Yes, times are hard and councils have to metaphorically look down the back of every sofa for money. But we are talking about the safety of our children here and it would be disgraceful see an important safety net in their lives removed.

Petitions are being collated and all power to those searching for signatures. But I think my folks would have been marching on the Town Hall… with me carrying the placard.