Reckless drivers are endangering the lives of young children and breaking the law by speeding past lollipop men and women, council officers have warned.

Speeding motorists and a bus driver have left some crossing patrol staff afraid of doing their job outside Oxfordshire schools.

Lollipop lady Fiona Eaton, who is worried by speeding traffic in Cowley

One blackspot is Barns Road in Cowley, Oxford, near the junction with Sandy Lane West, a major crossing point for children from Peers Upper School and St John Fisher Catholic First School.

The lollipop lady there, Fiona Eaton, said: "It's a regular thing; sometimes it happens three or four times a day. It's frightening.

"This is a very busy road where the traffic goes very fast. When children see you in the middle of the road, they assume it's safe to cross and run out, but quite often it isn't."

She claims a bus driver winked at her as he sped past while she was trying to get children across the road.

Oxfordshire County Council school crossing patrol supervisor Roger Keable said mindless driving was a common problem for the 85 lollipop men and women in his care.

He said: "It's very difficult for them to take the number of the car or bus because their first concern is the safety of the children, so many drivers simply get away with it.

"The bus company has said it will investigate Mrs Eaton's complaint, but without the number, they are not confident of getting anywhere.

"Children are supposed to wait until they are beckoned by the lollipop lady, but they don't always do that."

Lollipop people should only walk into the road at a convenient break in traffic, but drivers should stop as soon as possible after seeing one step on to the road.

Failure to stop is a criminal offence.

Earlier this year, the county council appealed for more people to become lollipop men and women. Despite a rise in pay from £4.50 to £5.47 an hour, plus expenses, 31 of the 116 posts are vacant.