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Council Bans Children From High-Fiving Lollipop Man Because What Is A World Without Rules?

Council Bans Children From High-Fiving Lollipop Man Because What Is A World Without Rules?

Stockport Council has banned children from high-fiving a lollipop man as they cross the road.

Mischa Pearlmen

Mischa Pearlmen

Eighty-three-year-old Colin Spencer has been working as a lollipop man for 14 years, successfully guiding children across the road by St George's Primary School in Heaviley, Stockport, Greater Manchester.

Every time the children cross the road, they high-five Colin. What's wrong with that, you might ask? Well, someone at Stockport Council has said that doing so is dangerous.

A spokeswoman for the council said: "School crossing patrol staff are required to continually observe the road and traffic conditions to ensure the safe passage of pedestrians across the road.

"The member of school crossing patrol staff at this location has been asked to stop 'high-fiving' and to concentrate on his core duty of ensuring highway safety."

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The school also sent out a text to parents which reads: "Please may we ask that children using the Bramhall Lane crossing patrol do not 'high-five' Colin when crossing the road. Thank you."

It then sent a follow-up text saying that high-fives could be done on the pavement, but not the road.

Some parents and kids are upset by the decision. According to Metro, Amanda Woodhouse, whose four-year-old daughter, Phoebe, attends St George's, said: "The text made me sad. Colin and the children clearly love high-fives.

"Colin is such a lovely man. He's always helping people and he's brilliant with parents and kids. It's such a shame."

Howie Pickering has two daughters who attend the school. "It's bureaucracy gone mad," he said. "If a child is having a bad day, it can make all the difference when they see Colin.

"He really cheers them up before school. They miss Colin when he's not around. He really is part of the landscape."

Colin, too, is a bit miffed at the decision. "I love the job and I love the kids," he said. "The money's buttons, but I do it because I love it."

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After the council made their decision earlier this week, Colin - who's known as 'Lolly' by the kids - was then supervised by his manager.

"I've been doing it for 14 years," said Colin. "It's not brain surgery, that's what I told my manager.

"But she was telling me how I need to hold my stick and that I mustn't high-five the kids because it's too much of a disruption.

"I can try to explain to the older ones that the council won't let me, but the little ones wouldn't understand."

We'll keep an eye on how this situation develops.

WATCH A MAN HIGH-FIVE A RACCOON

Featured Image Credit: MEN

Topics: UK News, School, Greater Manchester