THE beloved lollipop man at a school near Winchester might be sacked as Hampshire County Council moves ahead with its cost-cutting measures.

William Page, 64, of Highcliffe, known affectionately by parents and pupils of Kings Worthy Primary School as "Bill", is still uncertain as to the future of his job, which he has held for 20 years.

He was informed before the summer holidays that the council was making changes and that he might have his contract terminated, but has not been told anything since.

Bill said: "After the six-week holiday, I said to [my boss] 'what about my job? I haven't heard nothing.' She said to keep going until you hear something from us. But I still haven't heard anything."

READ MORE: School crossing lollipop patrols set for the axe by county council

Bill with mum Farah, 28, and her daughter Ifza, eight, and son Eesa, five (Image: Sebastian Haw)

When we spoke to Bill on September 17, it was his 64th birthday.

The affection towards him on the part of the kids was clear when one child walked up to him and handed him a present, saying "Happy birthday, Bill". 

Speaking to parents, it is clear that Bill is not only a beloved member of the community, but also fundamental to ensuring pupils' safety on the busy road outside the school.

Rebecca Brealey, whose daughter attends the school and whose son, Jackson (another fan of Bill) goes to the pre-school, said: "You can see how busy this road is. We need him. My eldest is seven. When she's in year 5 she's going to be walking to school on her own. I don't feel comfortable with her crossing the road on her own. It's stupid that they're even considering getting rid of him, to be honest with you."

One carer walking two children to school, who preferred not to be named, described the council's actions as "disgusting". 

SEE ALSO: Hampshire County Council's bid to cut school crossing patrols

Another mother of two pupils at the school, Farah, 28, described how Bill once stopped her five-year-old son, Eesa, from running out into the busy road.

She said: "Luckily Bill stopped him with his stop sign. If Bill wasn't there he would have just crossed the road with all the cars."

The road outside the school is narrow with plenty of blind spots and drivers frequently ignore the 20 mile-per-hour speed limit.

On a personal level, Bill relies on this job to support himself and his wife, who is disabled and for whom he cares.

In spite of the looming possibility of being sacked, however, he prefers to adopt a pragmatic outlook.

"If I have to go I have to go," he said. "I can't do nothing about it. I'll find something to do. I'm very clever with my hands."