THE ongoing drama regarding "the happiest lollipop man in Scotland" is beyond a joke ("Ban on high-flying lollipop man 'bringing council into disrepute'", The Herald, March 4).

The spokeswoman for West Dunbartonshire Council should note, before continuing to dig an ever more deep and depressing hole, that neither Nkosana Mdikane nor any other lollipop man or woman is employed to act as any kind of barrier, visible or otherwise, between the children and the drivers of cars and other road-using vehicles. To employ any person for such a job would be both unethical and illegal. How can a human body stop a moving vehicle, especially one at normal road speeds or above, and hope to survive? They are there to be seen.

Of course, holding out a "lollipop stick" with one hand and having the other stretched outwards is highly visible. However, how much more impressively and, and most importantly, memorably does Mr Mdikane achieve that end. By his habitual jumping about and high-fiving both child and parent alike all regular road users know and remember he is there and don't need the visual signal. They will be cautious on approach. This is much safer for all concerned.

Hugh McLoughlin,

24 Russell Street

Mossend, Bellshill.