Hundreds join school road protest

Carrying home-made signs bearing the messages "Enough is enough," "Kill your speed, not us," "Keep us safe" and "Crossing now," they staged a peaceful protest which was supported by many drivers tooting horns

In a carefully-coordinated plan, they were shepherded across the congested roads in the kind of small groups that form on ordinary mornings. Even so, traffic backed-up in four directions.

The size of Tuesday morning s turn-out delighted demonstration organisers Karen Austin and Vicky Cummings-Bart.

Concerned ward councillors Peter Fairhurst and Charles Clark watched as regular lollipop lady Pauline Forward assisted by her supervisor Freddie Bruneau struggled to cope with morning rush-hour traffic.

Protesters are demanding that safety measures are put in place before Rother councillors allow empty Nazareth House convent to be converted into 91 flats with 18 new homes in the grounds.

Permission has already been given for a new Bexhill College to be built on the former Charters Ancaster site opposite.

Julia Dance started her teaching career at St Mary Magdalene s and returned with a placard to support the protest.

"This crossing has always been a danger. I taught here for five years. It was my first job. This was a danger then. It is far worse now. We all know how dangerous it is, so why isn t something done?"