WINCHESTER schoolchildren are encouraged to find their diamond in the rough.

They are being invited to nominate their ‘diamond’ lollipop person for Hampshire’s School Crossing Patrol of the Year.

But it won’t be a simple case of filling out form – nominations should come in the form of a poem, drawing or story, explaining why their school crossing patrol is a real diamond.

Hampshire County Council has 262 school crossing patrols and 2013 marks 60 years of crossing patrols nationally – the service’s diamond anniversary.

A finalist will be chosen from each of the 11 boroughs and districts across the county, with finalists invited to an awards ceremony in Winchester on July 10.

The winner will take home £500 of IKEA vouchers and all of the finalists will get bespoke fleeces, with a road safety goody bag for the children who nominated them.

The school whose lollipop person is crowned School Crossing Patrol of the Year 2013 will win a Street Feet kit courtesy of Fox Oilskins, which is designed to help children practice crossing the road safely.

The closing date for entries is Friday, May 24. Further information can be found on the county’s website.