PARENTS at a school which lost its crossing patrol in a round of spending cuts are celebrating a cash grant which will bring the money back.

St Thomas More School in Kidlington is one of four primary schools to receive a grant from Cherwell District Council to pay for crossing patrols. Many schools were hit in the last round of spending cuts by Oxfordshire County Council.

But Cherwell has set aside a one-year grant of £5,000 for the patrols at St Thomas More, St Mary's CE School, Banbury, Dr Radcliffe's CE School in Steeple Aston and Bloxham CE School. Mary Wild, of the Friends of St Thomas More, has two children at the school, Joe, eight, and Lucy, five.

Parents at the school organised a petition signed by 208 people in protest at losing their lollipop lady, Anne Parsley.

Mrs Wild said: "It's excellent news. It'll make a big difference to children and their parents. It's an extremely dangerous cross- ing.

"There are cars coming from all directions."

Kieran Brooks, chairman of governors at St Thomas More said: "There are a lot of cars that park by the entrance to the school and the newsagents there.

"With all the cars moving about it's quite a vulnerable location.

"We noticed it at the end of last term when the lollipop lady wasn't there any more. "It concerned me with all those cars reversing out.

"It wouldn't take much for children to be knocked down because they're so small.

"We're very pleased and grateful to the district council for their support." Carole Thomson, chairman of Oxfordshire Governors' Association, said: "Anything that adds to the safety of children has to be welcome.

"Losing the crossing patrols has been a major concern to parents.

"It's appalling that Ox- fordshire doesn't have the money and is having to make cuts of this sort."

Deputy Cherwell leader Bob Laynes said: "We wanted to protect these services because they are a priority for local residents."

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