A LOLLIPOP man who risks life and limb to get children safely across the road has had his plea for a pelican crossing backed by more 200 people.

However Leeds City Council has initially poured cold water on the proposeal.

William Shears, 68, leads children across the busy Main Street in Pool-in-Wharfedale andhas endured near misses and road rage on an almost weekly basis since he took the job two and a half years ago - but he says his problems would improve if the existing zebra crossing was upgraded.

"So many people have said to me that we should have a push button signal there because it would be so much safer. I can guarantee five, possibly six near misses a month involving myself - cars come so fast down Pool Bank that sometimes they struggle to stop. There's definitely an accident waiting to happen."

Now, with the support of Pool Post Office, Mr Shears has collected more than 200 names on a

petition to persuade highways chiefs to upgrade to zebra crossing, instead of repainting it when a whole batch of traffic calming measures are installed in the village within the next couple of months.

"To me the plans for traffic calming don't

actually slow the traffic down in Pool," he added. "But a push button pelican crossing at that part of Main Street would slow traffic down."

In a letter to community group Pool 2020, a highways spokesman said there are still one or two small items to be finalised but the scheme design is now largely drawn up and work could start towards the end of May.

"The proposed mini-roundabout on the Main Street/Pool Road junction adjacent to the Shell petrol station would encroach too near to the underground storage tanks and is, therefore, not practical.

"An alternative layout is being assessed at the moment and a land survey will be carried out around the junction very soon. The Statutory notices regarding the new Zebra and Puffin crossings will be posted on site this week."

A spokesman for Leeds City Council said: "We have not yet received the petition and will of course give it full consideration when it arrives. However it is fair to say that we have already considered this issue. Unfortunately, because of the physical constraints of the site, it would be near impossible to install a pelican crossing at this location."