VIDEO: Call to provide lollipop man with body camera after 'near miss' outside school

A mum who says her ten-year-old daughter was almost hit by a car while crossing the road has called on the county council to provide lollipop men and women with body cameras.
Elaine Boys is concerned for the safety of school children and the lollipop man Mick Bassett in Thakeham after her daughter Yasmin was almost knocked down by a driver last week.Elaine Boys is concerned for the safety of school children and the lollipop man Mick Bassett in Thakeham after her daughter Yasmin was almost knocked down by a driver last week.
Elaine Boys is concerned for the safety of school children and the lollipop man Mick Bassett in Thakeham after her daughter Yasmin was almost knocked down by a driver last week.

Elaine Boys’ daughter Yasmin was walking across Thakeham Road with her dad David with the help of lollipop man Mick Bassett, last Tuesday, when a car sped through the crossing.

The Thakeham Primary School pupil was pulled to safety by her dad before the car passed close to him and Yasmin narrowly avoiding a collision, Elaine said.

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“It won’t prevent such incidents happening again but I think if lollipop men had body cameras then it would be much easier to clamp down on these near misses,” she added.

Elaine Boys is concerned for the safety of school children and the lollipop man Mick Bassett in Thakeham after her daughter Yasmin was almost knocked down by a driver last week.Elaine Boys is concerned for the safety of school children and the lollipop man Mick Bassett in Thakeham after her daughter Yasmin was almost knocked down by a driver last week.
Elaine Boys is concerned for the safety of school children and the lollipop man Mick Bassett in Thakeham after her daughter Yasmin was almost knocked down by a driver last week.

“It’s quite worrying that somebody was driving along and didn’t notice a man walk out into the road with a high-vis jacket on – especially in an area so close to two schools.”

Elaine reported the incident to Thakeham Primary who alerted West Sussex County Council.

A spokesman for the county council said discussions with the school ‘will start’ with a view to incorporating a body camera for the school crossing patrol site during the summer term.

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The county council has been working in conjuction with Sussex Police to encourage schools to use body cameras to deter ‘drive throughs’ outside schools.

Lollipop man Mick Bassett helps Elaine Boys and her daughter Yasmin across the roadLollipop man Mick Bassett helps Elaine Boys and her daughter Yasmin across the road
Lollipop man Mick Bassett helps Elaine Boys and her daughter Yasmin across the road

The spokesman added: “If footage is captured of an offence, it is passed to Sussex Police to consider as evidence for possible prosecution.”

Samantha Norton, the headteacher of Thakeham Primary, told the County Times a review for body cameras had been requested.

Elaine added: “If my husband hadn’t have been holding Yasmin’s hand, it could have been a far worse outcome.

“Two people, maybe more, could have been seriously injured that day.”