Titus Cotton, Head of the Belfry CEVA Primary in Overstrand, revealed road safety concerns had been raised BEFORE the latest drama which left the road crossing patroller in hospital.

Eastern Daily Press: A lollipop lady - not the one injured - at work at the Belfry School in Overstrand. ARCHIVE PICA lollipop lady - not the one injured - at work at the Belfry School in Overstrand. ARCHIVE PIC (Image: Archant Norfolk 2015)

A headteacher has slammed the 'appalling and dangerous' parking outside a local primary school after a lollipop lady was rushed to hospital following a collision with a car.

Titus Cotton, Head of the Belfry CEVA Primary School in Overstrand, revealed the road crossing patroller, who suffered leg and hand injuries, was left extremely shaken following the incident on Cromer Road on Friday.

He revealed it was not the first time road safety concerns had been raised at the 136-pupil school.

And now he has called an open meeting in the hope of preventing a repeat.

In a letter to parents, Mr Cotton said: 'The appalling and dangerous parking that we see on a regular basis outside of school may or may not have played some part in (Friday's) incident but there can be no doubt that the selfish and thoughtless parking needs to come to an end.

'I would suggest that rather than dealing with these issues on a one-to-one basis, which may become very heated, we instead come together as a school community and seek a collective way forward.'

The headteacher revealed the school offered reassurance to pupils, some of whom witnessed the collision, at an assembly following the early morning drama, which unfolded around 8.40am.

And some of them made cards for the lollipop lady, named only as Mrs Squires, who was taken to Norfolk and Norwich University Hospital before she returned home.

Mr Cotton said: 'We are enormously relieved to hear that Mrs Squires is doing well and is back at home. She is, of course, extremely shaken but is on the mend.

'It is a shocking event to have happened and I hope that all the children and parents who were nearby are doing okay. The school met together for assembly where we discussed what had happened and answered questions, remaining reassuring and calm.'

The open meeting, hosted by Mr Cotton and Martin Steward, the Parent Governor, will be held in the school hall on Monday at 9am. And parents who can't attend are invited to write down their concerns and suggested ways forward in advance.

Mr Cotton added: 'I believe that one way forward is to go through the Parish Council and Highways Department and seek some type of enforceable restrictions to be put in place.'

The school website revealed that there had already been 'a fair few near misses' outside the school but that it had so far failed to find a solution.

One option previously considered was the installation of electric gates to the school car park which it was noted in a report on child safety would be a 'huge expense'.

It states: 'Children crossing the gateway entrance to the car park is where the problem can occur. That area is by far the most dangerous area outside the school and always where we get near misses. People who park and drive off in that area regularly miss children by inches, and cars use that driveway from both sides.'

Overstrand Parish Council has raised concerns over the speed of traffic on Cromer Road with the police and Norfolk County Council.

When told of the latest incident, former parish council chairwoman Mary Haynes said: 'They're always on about speeding on Cromer Road.' But she added: 'The police come and say it's all within the limits and the county council accept that.'