FOR three years, or more, the Evening News and our readers have followed a tenacious campaign in Worcester to improve the lives of millions of parents and children across Britain.

Today, we celebrate the near culmination of that campaign. It has closed a legal loophole which allows lollipop men and women to escort adults and their youngsters across the road to school, but not the other way moments later.

It's such an obviously stupid rule that Tricia McFee, who was working as a crossing lady in St John's, decided to do something about it. The road since has been bumpy.

Until April this year, everything was going well. With huge support from county road safety officer Roger Woodward, she'd enlisted the help of Worcester MP Mike Foster. Then his Private Member's Bill was scuppered by Tory MP David Maclean.

A month later, at the eleventh hour, Mr Foster persuaded Labour Ministers to amend the Transport Bill so that crossing patrols would be allowed to help all people across the road, not just pupils.

It's that victory, a victory for common sense, which we celebrate today.

And if there are millions of folk around the country who, without knowing why, soon find themselves being ushered to safety where, before, they took their lives in their hands, we believe the people of Worcester can say thanks on everyone's behalf.

We're sure you'll join us, today, in praising Mrs McFee, Mr Woodward and Mr Foster for their tireless efforts in securing the change in the law.

To rally the fighting power of fellow crossing patrols, parents, teachers, County Hall and an MP, then win the day in Westminster, is no mean feat by anyone's standard.

As Mr Woodward says, Tuesday, January 30 - the day the Transport Bill becomes the Transport Act - will be a "great day for road safety. It's very good news for everyone". So it is.