VICTORIOUS campaigner Ernest Stallwood celebrated his 83rd birthday by hearing that a pedestrian crossing will be built near his road.

Mr Stallwood of Abbey Barn Road, High Wycombe, began a campaign to force Buckinghamshire County Council to install a road crossing between Cock Lane and Abbey Barn Road after he was nearly knocked down by a car as he crossed the busy London Road five years ago.

The partially-blind pensioner was delighted when he heard the council had recommended the crossing be given high priority status, for completion early next year. His 83rd birthday is on Saturday.

He said: "What an incredible birthday present. It's taken long enough, but at last it looks like we will get the crossing we want."

Children from Marsh County First School presented Ernest with a banner which said "Thank you Ernie for our crossing".

Anne Smart, headteacher of the school in Abbey Barn Road, actively supported Mr Stallwood in his campaign and launched a petition to put pressure on the council to make sure children could cross the road to school safely.

She said: "After a long, long battle the council have finally acted.

"People will no longer have to take their life in their hands when they cross the road.

"I know that crossing the road is a great worry for mothers who have to try to get across safely with a pram and a toddler in each arm."

Mrs Smart added: "The reason the crossing is now a high priority on the list is mainly down to Ernest.

"It was him who kept on badgering the council to take action."

Mr Stallwood, who was in tears of joy, said: "I really want to thank the Bucks Free Press for helping our campaign."

The new crossing -- which is called a toucan crossing -- will cost between £30,000 and £50,000 and will allow pedestrians and cyclists to cross over the busy road safely.

Mrs Smart said she hadn't heard of a toucan crossing and asked the children at her school to paint pictures of what they thought it would eventually look like.

A spokesman for Buckinghamshire County Council confirmed the crossing had been placed on the high priority list and would be discussed at a traffic and road safety panel meeting in June.

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