Car and moped seized after drivers ignore lollipop man

Police have seized a car and a moped after their drivers failed to stop for a lollipop man on two separate occasions, forcing him to leap out of the way.

Barry Jones was standing in Bury Old Road in Heywood, Greater Manchester, when the incidents happened on 13 and 14 October, Rochdale Borough Council said.

Nobody was injured in either incident.

The council said 137 incidents of drivers failing to stop for school crossing patrols had been reported across authority area over the past five years.

Greater Manchester Police seized the silver Skoda car and moped after gathering evidence, including witness statements.

The law was changed in June to remove the requirement for police to issue a warning before seizing vehicles under the Police Reform Act 2002.

Dylan Williams, cabinet member for highways, thanked police for their "quick and decisive action" and said the council would keep reporting incidents and push for prosecutions where possible.

The council said body-worn cameras were now being used in areas where drivers frequently failed to stop to deter dangerous driving and support possible prosecutions.

Paul Clarke, a team leader for traffic police community support officers at GMP, said officers had considered the evidence and circumstances before deciding to seize the vehicles.

He said: "School crossing patrol officers play a vital role in protecting children and other pedestrians and drivers are reminded that when a school crossing patrol officer displays the stop sign, all traffic must stop."

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