LOCAL FACE: SUSAN WEST

Susan (Hobson) West was born in 1965 in High Wycombe so she is a Buckinghamshire girl who attended Castlefield Middle School and Cressex Secondary School. She started work at 16 as a sewing machinist in a furniture factory and stayed for 18 years. So far, all very typical. She met Simon West in 1992, moving to Wendover in 1996 and changed to making harnesses for ejector seats at the iconic Martin-Baker Aircraft Ltd in Denham.

Simon introduced Susan to the joys of boating in general and sailing in particular. He is currently restoring a family heirloom - the yacht his family used when he was growing up. Meanwhile there is a collection of boats in their front garden. In 1998 the couple married in St Mary's Wendover, and spent their honeymoon on a Greek flotilla holiday. With their 25th anniversary on the horizon, will they be able to repeat that experience in some shape or form?

Their children, Matthew and Emily, attended local schools: John Hampden Infants, Wendover Junior and John Colet and their background always encouraged them to be sporty and fall in love with sailing. Susan has supported these schools ever since, first as a Mid-day Supervisor, then for half a term as an LSA before she was recruited as a much needed School Crossing Patroller (lollipop lady), a role she has filled for 13 years. She loves her job, making sure both children and their accompanying adults are able to cross Wharf Road safely before and after school.

Her job is clearly vital because on occasion, she covers two other traffic blackspots: Lower Road, outside Stoke Mandeville Combined School where she has a traffic island to contend with and Bedgrove School where there are always two SCPs because of the traffic. In Wendover, most drivers understand the need for caution when a large number of children need to cross a busy road. Many people have told Susan that they specifically avoid using Wharf Road and Manor Road at certain times because they do not want to drive a car near so many young children.

Come November, Susan is invited into John Hampden School, to talk to pupils about road safety as the darker months approach. They have great fun wearing a small fluorescent coat and holding the lollipop. Susan refers to it as her "Fame for a day" session.

Susan really does need to have eyes everywhere to monitor traffic on Wharf Road, Icknield Close and the school campus!