Lollipop man resigns after being threatened with suspension for high-fiving children

A Plymouth lollipop man has quit after being threatened with suspension for high-fiving school children as they cross the road. Appalled parents have come out in support of Bob Slade, who helped children from Manadon Vale Primary School. The 65-year-old, who worked at the school for four and a half years, quit his job after being told by Plymouth City Council he would be suspended for four weeks following safety concerns. A spokesperson at the council accepted that school crossing patrols could be friendly but said “their full attention must be on the road and they must watch the traffic closely at all times”.

Mr Slade worked at Devonport Dockyard for 45 years before taking up his position at the school, helping children cross the road. He said: “I really enjoyed the job. I have been doing it for more than four years without a single accident. When I got the job they told me to make contact with the kids and be friendly. But then they changed their minds and I stopped high-fiving them earlier in the year because they told me to stop. They also said I was going out into the road without looking properly.

“They said they would suspend me for four weeks but I said I would rather leave - I was going to retire soon anyway. I appreciate the support of the parents but I won’t be going back again, this is the end of it now.” Parents were told that Mr Slade had resigned for personal reasons. Barbara Laws, who has two children at the school, said: “It’s one of those stories you think is just unbelievable. The parents are now stuck with no patrol on that crossing. At the end of September parents were told through the school's weekly newsletter that Bob had resigned for personal reasons.

“However, in a case of health and safety gone mad, it has now come to light that Plymouth City Council had threatened Mr Slade with four weeks suspension for high-fiving the children as they crossed the road, a practice they felt was dangerous. To my knowledge, not a single parent had expressed any concern over Mr Slade's actions, which amounted to nothing more than the children patting his outstretched hand as they walked past him. Bob also acted as a deterrent against dangerous parking in the vicinity of the crossing. The council have announced that a new lollipop person will be appointed soon, but we were more than happy with Bob Slade.”