A Douglas man who has been ensuring safe road crossings for schoolchildren since 1994 has hung up his lollipop stick for good.

Robert Brown, aged 74, retired this month after serving as a lollipop man for 24 years first at the former Fairfield Primary School and then at Henry Bloom Noble’s Primary School (HBN) in Douglas.

He is currently the longest serving lollipop man in the Isle of Man.

Mr Brown told the Examiner that he was due to retire next summer when he turned 75 but has had to step down because of health reasons.

’I have a hernia that is aggravating my walking and the doctor’s told me to retire,’ he said. I would’ve liked to have gone to 25 years of service next year.’

His last shift on Westmoreland Road was on Friday (October 5) just before 4pm.

Talking to him before the event, he said: ’It will certainly be emotional saying goodbye to the children.

’I don’t know how to feel. That’s life which I’m having to get used too.’

Mr Brown started at Fairfield School on June 13, 1994 after seeing the role advertised in a newspaper.

He said: ’I decided to give it a try to see what it was like and I’ve stuck it all those years.

’The training was very rigorous. I had a supervisor who would say to me "you’ve got to get used to the traffic and start putting your lollipop stick out" as I was a bit hesitant at first, but as time went on I got used to it.

’I spent 22 years at Fairfield and when we changed to HBN it was a bit different as the children from Ballacloan school, a separate school, joined children at Fairfield together to make HBN.

’There are a lot more children and it’s the amount of people crossing in a short time that has given me the hernia.

’I find the volume of people crossing over a bit too much.

He added: ’I have had dangerous situations before and quite a few near misses, but that’s part of the job.

’Some motorists won’t stop which is difficult at times.’

’You’re in all weathers. It’s nice in the summer with the heat and the sun, but when it begins to get cold towards November and December with the freezing weather with the wind or snow, it’s a different thing.’ Over the course of 24 years Mr Brown has seen many faces.

’A lot of the parents I crossed in the early years now bring their own children to school,’ he said.

’I will miss mainly the children. I’ve got used to them saying good morning and good afternoon to me.

’They’ll miss me and I’ll miss them, but your life comes first and that’s why I’ve got to retire.’

A special assembly was held for Mr Brown on Friday, at which the Derby County fan was presented with some of the football club’s memorabilia.

Head teacher Ian Walmsley said: ’Robert is a great guy. He has been so reliable and dedicated to his job. All the staff and the pupils in the school will miss him and wish him the best for the future.’

John McDonough, road safety supervisor from the Department of Home Affairs, said: ’It’s rare to find someone like Robert, who loves what he does and is committed to helping young people over a long period of time. His presence on the pavements will be sorely missed and I wish him all the very best for his well-earned retirement.’

Robert has got a number of things he wishes to spend his retirement doing.

He said: ’I like travelling by train across and there are plenty of railway sites I would like to visit. I would also love to attend tea dances.

’The dances were right in the middle of crossing patrol so I never got to go. This all depends on getting the operation on my hernia done.’