Aire View Infants School has welcomed a fluorescent-jacket-wearing woman to help in its battle to keep children safe on Silsden's busy roads.

New lollipop lady Anne Jennison will stand on Kirkgate to help children cross the congested main street on their journeys to and from school.

The appointment comes after hundreds of parents and residents signed a petition to reduce the speed limit on Elliott Street from 30 to 20mph, in line with restrictions in place outside other schools.

Parent Stefanie Driessen, who has two daughters, aged five and seven, at Aire View, said she thought the appointment of the new lollipop lady was fantastic.

She said: "It makes you feel much more secure because I need to know the children are safe when they walk to school.

"Hopefully, they will learn some more road sense as well. I have signed the petition that is going around.

"I do not think there is a parent here who doesn't want the road to be 20 miles per hour, you would never forgive yourself if something were to happen. All it needs is for somebody to be on the wrong side of the road and if the car was travelling at 30 there would be no chance."

Sarah Whitely, who has a child at Aire View and Hothfield Junior School further along the road, agreed that the lollipop lady was a good idea.

She said: "There are a lot of kids coming from that side of the road and it will help the children coming from Hothfield Junior School as well."

Mrs Jennison said she was looking forward to her new job.

She said: "When the kids get used to me and I get used to them it will be good.

"I am here first thing in the morning and last thing at night until all the children have gone home, two hours each day."

Meanwhile, school governor Garry Wilkinson said that he had had a very positive meeting with a representative from Bradford Council's traffic and highways department about reducing the speed limit on Elliott Street.