Community tributes to 'lovely' lollipop man

Memories of a much-missed lollipop man have inspired a community to install permanent tributes to him.

Parents and children from across Nunthorpe in Middlesbrough have raised money for memorials in honour of Alan Oates who died earlier this year.

A rainbow-coloured picnic table is now in place at Nunthorpe Primary School and a bench will be installed at the crossing where he was stationed for several years.

Tanya Johnson, who helped to raise more than £1,000 to fund the bench, said: "He was a lovely man and a huge part of the community."

She added: "I wish he could see all of this, it might show him how much we all loved him.

"He'd give a huge thumbs up to it."

Neil Salter, headteacher at Nunthorpe, said children had "lined the street" when Mr Oates' funeral procession passed the spot where he worked and paused at the crossing.

"He was much loved by the children and he did his job impeccably, but also went above and beyond in not just seeing them across the road but getting to know them," Mr Salter said.

"He brightened everyone's day and is very much missed."

Mr Oates' brother, Andy, said he would have been "overwhelmed by the amount of love the community has shown", adding that the family did not have the words to express their gratitude for those who raised money for the memorials.

"He always said it was the best job in the world."

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