TEACHERS at a Southampton primary school are asking transport bosses to take "urgent" action after a lollipop lady was knocked over by a van.

The incident is the third in three months outside Kane's Hill School.

Now staff at the Hinkler Road primary are calling for intervention to stop pick-up times being "chaos", while pupils are taking matters into their own hands against dangerous drivers.

Head teacher Kirsten Buist said: “It is absolute bedlam outside our school at pick up times and it’s very chaotic for the children when they leave.

“We have cars parked up on a roundabout and in bus stops, which causes serious obstruction – not just for our families trying to cross the roads but also for emergency vehicles.

“Hinkler Road is an extremely busy commuter route and although it is 20mph outside our school many vehicles are exceeding this.

“The speed humps we have in the road are not effective and we have no real warning sign to make drivers aware they are approaching a school.

"Sadly yesterday’s accident has proved that when our lollipop lady was knocked down while trying to get our children safely across the road. Something needs to be done urgently.”

Yesterday’s accident happened at approximately at 8.55am when the school's lollipop lady - who has served the school for 29 years - was knocked to the ground by a driver.

Neighbour Karen Potts, 45, a housewife saw the incident and said: "She was in the road seeing people across the road.

"A black van came up behind her and seemed to slow down.

"And then all of a sudden it sped up and hit the back of her and sent her flying.

"I've confiscated her lollipop and said she has to take some time off work."

Speaking to the Echo the lollipop lady - who is in her 60s and did not want to be named - said she is "upset" after the incident - the first to have happened in her career.

On January 11 an Alley Cats pre-school pupil suffered a broken ankle after being hit by the driver of a Citroen Relay outside the school.

On November 21 a nine-year-old pupil had "minor injuries" after being hit on Hinkler Road by the driver of a Ford Kuga.

Now teachers have written to transport chiefs calling for new road safety measures to be implemented "as soon as possible".

The school say a pelican or zebra crossing, flashing warning signs on the approaches and new speed humps would slow traffic down.

Ms Buist is calling on the council to patrol the area more frequently with a camera - but is also asking parents to park further away from school so children have a clear view when trying to cross the busy road.

Pupils have sent hand-written letters to all parents asking for help in keeping them safe, and have designed 'please do not park here again’ leaflets to leave on cars parked illegally or dangerously.

Kanes Hill is also looking to introduce a parking pledge for all its parents to sign.

“These accidents have shocked us all and we’re very relieved that no one was seriously hurt,” Kirsten said:

“Our very worst fear is that next time one of our children will not be as lucky and something needs to be done now before someone is seriously hurt or worst.”

A Hampshire police spokesperson said: "We received a report this morning (28 January) of a collision on Hinkler Road near to Kanes Hill School.

"A Volkswagen Transporter and a pedestrian were involved.

"The pedestrian, a woman in her 60s, received minor injuries.

"We received a report of a collision between a Citroen Relay and a young child on a scooter which took place at around 3.10pm on 11 January on Hinkler Road.

"We received a report of a collision between a Ford Kuga and a pedestrian on Hinkler Road which took place shortly before 8.45am on 21 November 2018.

"The pedestrian, a child aged 9, sustained minor injuries."

City transport chief Councillor Jacqui Rayment has been contacted for a comment.