AFTER 27 years of helping schoolchildren to cross the road Brian Saundry is hanging up his lollipop stick, putting his feet up and having a lie in instead.

Brian has been the caretaker at Cardrew Junior School, Redruth since it first opened in 1974 and became school crossing patrol officer five years later after "filling in" for a few days.

He never thought he would still be helping children to cross the road 23 years later.

"I have enjoyed every minute of the job, and can definitely recommend it to anyone," he said. "I always forget standing in the rain and wind when the children arrived with their smiles. They really cheer you up! I have watched the children grow up and become parents themselves."

Brian remembers a day when he stood waiting for the children to come. He arrived as usual at the school at 7am, after doing his caretaker duties, he went down to the patrol site to help the children cross. On a normal day they would have there been, but Brian was standing there on the school holidays!

Brian has seen many changes over the period of time he was at Cardrew. He has seen four headteachers and thirty different teachers at the school. His anecdotes are legendary and for history of the school you need look no further.

"Although we are sorry to see him leave, we can quite understand that after so many years he is looking forward to a lie in, in the mornings," said Chris Fittus, school crossing patrol coordinator.