The emotional moment residents say goodbye to much-loved lollipop man - after raising thousands in his memory

Long-standing crossing patrol officer Alan Pyle passed away at the age of 75, on Thursday, June 5.

The grandfather-of-three, who has been described as an “integral part of the community” had been helping children in the village get to school safely for almost 15 years.

Dozens of tributes and heartwarming messages have been placed outside the gates of East Boldon Infants school.

On the day of his funeral, Wednesday, June 17, hundreds gathered along Front Street to pay their respects and clapped as his cortège stopped at the crossing where he had stood every day.

East Boldon residents are now raising money to fund a permanent memorial to Alan in the village.

More than £2,200 has been donated so far, including £900 from a collection set up by Nicola Linklater.

A plaque is to be installed on the wall outside East Boldon Infants and with Alan’s wife Olive, and son Mark, there are plans for a picnic area dedicated to his memory in Grange Park.

Deniece Wanley of Beckingham Avenue, who set up the Just Giving page, said: “Alan was such an integral part of the community. We thought it would be lovely if we created a place where families can meet and when we hold our events in the park, it would feel as though Alan was a part of it.

“We had a chat with Olive and Mark about Alan and the kind of person that he was.”

Deniece, whose own children, now teenagers grew up knowing and loving Alan, added: “It’s a bit of a thankless job being a crossing patrol officer – he was out in all weathers – but he was always so cheery and good to the children, he always remembered their names and had a high five for them every day.

“He contributed so much to the community and has given so much of his time. A quote from one of the donations that came in said he had ‘such a knack of making the children feel special’ and I think that sums him up.”

Donate to the Alan Pyle memorial fund.

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