A TIDAL wave of support is sweeping through the yachting village of Hamble in a bid to keep lollipop man Tony Williams and his two New-foundland dogs on duty outside the local primary school.

The Daily Echo revealed how a community campaign had swung into action after Tony had been ordered to stop bringing gentle giants Alfie and Lulu on duty with him or face the sack.

Angry parents labelled the ultimatum from Hampshire County Council as "barking mad" and immediately circulated petitions outside the school gates and in many of the village's local shops.

Joint petition organiser Lucy Sullivan says 297 names were collected in just one afternoon - and that is without counting signatures on petitions in local shops and pubs.

She said: "Everybody is very supportive and we are very pleased with the response we are getting. Everybody thinks it is outrageous. They can't believe it."

Miss Sullivan and co-petition organiser Angela Lilly will collect all the signatures later this week before presenting them to the county council in a bid to get a change of heart from the authority.

A spokesman for the county said all school crossing patrol staff were issued with new guidelines regarding animals in December last year and added: "They could be a distraction to children crossing the road."

But 65-year-old Tony - who served 32 years with Hampshire Constabulary - said: "I don't agree and nor do the mums. Their opinion is that the kids are all in a rush to get to the school crossing but when they see the dogs they pet them and it calms them down. The kids love the dogs."

Mr Williams, who says he does not take Alfie and Lulu backwards and forwards across the road, is hoping that the petition will have some effect.

But he added: "I don't think it will - although they should take some notice of the mums' opinions."

Tony, who has been taking the dogs on duty for about four years, is adamant that he will go if the dogs are forced off duty.

He told the Daily Echo: "They will have to sack me. I hope it doesn't come to that because I like it up there with the kids and I've been doing it for nine years."