'Thank you for keeping me safe' – children mourn tragic lollipop lady

FLOWERS and cards have been left by schoolchildren mourning the loss of their lollipop lady in a horrific accident.

The poignant tributes were piled around the crossing where popular lollipop lady Catherine Gibson, known as Cathy, lost her life.

Mrs Gibson, 59, was helping children cross the road near St Anne's Primary in Glasgow's east end when she was crushed by a lorry on Thursday.

The bunches of flowers, many with handwritten notes from pupils, were tied to the school railings near the junction of Alma Street and Fielden Street. One note signed by a youngster called Brooke, read: "Thank you for getting me to school in the morning safely. You will be missed." Another read: "You were best lollipop woman."

Eleanor Coutts, who is 55 and was taking her granddaughters to the school this morning, said: "Cathy was a wonderful person and she will be sadly missed.

"Last night, my two grandchildren said before they went to bed, 'We would like to say a prayer to look after her because she's in heaven'."

Mrs Coutts added Mrs Gibson used to give Christmas card to the children at the school.

A man walking his daughter to the school and who gave his name only as Pat said: "She was a very nice person. She was always happy. It's very sad. I saw the truck on top of her."

He said around 12 or 13 children were on the opposite side of the road as Mrs Gibson lay injured.

Another mother, who was taping flowers to the school railings, said people in the area were "devastated", and added: "She had been here a wee while. She could not have done her job any better."

Lollipop man Lawrence Russell, 48, was covering Mrs Gibson's crossing today. He said: "I spoke to her every day. She was very friendly. She was quite a thoughtful woman. I was shocked when I heard what had happened. This road's always busy. We have just got to be careful."

Mr Russell said he had worked as a city-wide "crosser" for six years and Mrs Gibson had covered the Alma Street crossing for more than two years.

St Anne's Primary School headteacher Louise Jarvie has also paid tribute to Mrs Gibson.

She said: "Cathy was a very popular and valued member of the school community. I know that she will be greatly missed by everyone and she had a great rapport with the children."

Mrs Gibson leaves three grown-up children: Kimberly, 20, Anthony, 27, and Michael, 34.

All three live in the east end close to their late mother's home on Whitehill Street in Dennistoun, but were too upset to comment.

Mrs Gibson split from her 58-year-old husband William a decade ago.

It is understood she was a regular in the congregation of Dennistoun Central Church, led by Rev Ian McInnes.

A Strathclyde Police spokeswoman said officers were still investigating the crash and no arrest had yet been made.

She said: "There have been no charges laid against the lorry driver at the moment, although things may change in the course of the accident investigation."