A horrified mum watched as her six-year-old daughter was knocked down by a car at an unmanned school crossing.
Little Ava Cassidy suffered a broken foot and collarbone as she attempted to cross a busy road with mother Tracy Watson and little sister Kiera, 5, on their way home from nursery.
The accident in Methil on Friday afternoon happened at a spot where youngsters are usually helped to cross by a lollipop lady, but due to sickness it had not been staffed for several weeks.
Fife Council said that as of Tuesday, the crossing was again being covered.
Tracy, 37, had picked up Ava from Methilhill Primary and the pair had gone to collect Kiera from Paxton Nursery when the incident happened.
Tracy said Ava had misunderstood an instruction as they waited to cross Methilhaven Road and had stepped out thinking it was safe.
“I was holding Kiera’s hand and had school bags and coats etc in my other hand so I wasn’t able to take Ava by the hand,” she said.
“There was a car coming one way and two coming the other way.
“I said to Ava when this black car passes we’ll go but she was looking the other way and started to cross when the first car passed.”
Tracy, of Oakvale Road, said the accident happened in an instant and her daughter had been very lucky not to have been more seriously injured.
“If there had been a lollipop lady there she wouldn’t have crossed. We all would have stopped,” she said.
“It’s a bad bit of road used by kids from the nursery and from Aberhill Primary.
“I would really love to see a lollipop lady back there again.”
Local councillor John O’Brien questioned why there had been no crossing patrol for weeks and added: “This little girl could have been killed.
“I’m appalled this has happened and I would like to see a lollipop woman back on that road to keep children safe.”
Jeff Jacobs, janitorial and cleaning service manager with Fife Council said: “Unfortunately, due to staff being off sick or staff being unable to carry out the crossing patrol duty at Methilhaven, this position wasn’t covered for around six weeks.
“However, I can confirm that as of today, this crossing is once again being covered.”
Mr Jacobs said there were no plans to cut the number of school crossing patrol officers in Fife.
