PARENTS, pupils and members of the community lined the street outside Castle Hill Schools on Friday afternoon to pay tribute to a beloved lollipop lady.

Belinda Mott, who lived on Dudley Close, was a lollipop lady for the schools on Winklebury Way for nearly 20 years, and was a friendly face to many people in Winklebury.

Belinda's former neighbour, Frank Mudd, said: "I have known Belinda since 1998 when I moved to Winklebury and became her neighbour. Belinda was one of the first to welcome us, and became a great friend.

"She will be greatly missed by so many. There was lots of children, parents and friends lining Winklebury way. It was extremely emotional to be stood there."

Belinda passed away earlier this month, and her family arranged for the hearse to drive past the school at 3:50pm on the day of her funeral, Friday October 23, to allow those who knew her to pay their respects and say goodbye.

Children waved miniature lollipop sticks in her memory, while others laid yellow flowers and hung balloons by the school.

In 2013, Belinda, then 52, was named the best lollipop person in Hampshire, after being nominated by pupil Jack Freeman, then 10.

She was up against 10 other lollipop men and women from each of the boroughs and districts in the county, in a competition to mark 60 years of the school crossing patrol service nationally.