The Northern Echo reported last week that Darlington has a shortage of crossing wardens - partly caused by rude, speeding drivers. Owen Amos dons the yellow jacket and gives it a go.

I HAVE spent an afternoon as a lollipop man. My Things To Do Before I Die list has one more tick. What a thrill to march onto a road and stop busy traffic with nothing more than a high-visibility jacket and a big stick.

Without the uniform, I would have been sworn at and, probably, run over.

With it, I was nodded at by drivers, and thanked by pedestrians. If lollipop men were full-time, I'd ditch this journalism lark. And I don't think I'm joking.

Darlington has a shortage of lollipop men and women. People don't want the job, apparently, because of rude drivers and snotty pupils.

On Monday afternoon, I was shown the ropes by Albert Carter, 72, a crossing warden for several years. It was like being taught sonnets by Shakespeare.

After 15 minutes watching, it was my turn. I clutched my sign like a five-year-old holds a balloon.

The traffic sped past noisily, barely yards between the cars. A group of primary school children wait for me, the lollipop man, to act.

As I stand on the pavement, Albert's words rang in my head: hold your sign upright, try to catch a driver's eye. After two or three whizz past, I caught the eye of a lady in a black Ford, and she stopped.

I strode out half-way, sign aloft. The traffic on the other side stopped instantly.

I turned to the pavement, and beckoned the children across. They all said thank-you as they passed.

In my 15 months as a journalist, I have stuck all my letters of thanks to the wall by my desk. There are two. The gratitude I received on Monday made me glad to be alive.

When the children reached the other side, I turned to check there were no more waiting. I thanked both drivers, they thanked me, and I floated back to my spot.

Mr Carter said: "The kids make the job easy. I haven't had a bad word in five years.

"I would recommend this job without a doubt. There must be a lot of lonely people, and if you do the lollipop, you are never lonely.

"Everyone says good morning; drivers give you a wave. I hope to be doing this for a few years yet."

Denise Caley, Darlington Borough Council's assistant road safety officer, said people avoided becoming lollipop men and women for several reasons.

She said: "It is a good hourly rate, but there's not many hours a week -the average is seven-and-a-half. People are frightened of the traffic and worried about the kids.

"But there are far more good days than bad. Everybody is cheerful, and people get to know each other -you get plenty of Quality Street at Christmas.

"It is quicker to cross the road with a lollipop than a puffin crossing. And puffin crossings don't smile at you, either."

Darlington council has five vacancies, for wardens in Haughton Road, Yarm Road, Longfield Road and two mobile patrols. Pay starts at £6.61 an hour and applicants must be 18 or over. Call 01325-388783.