They are like a family to me.

Those are the words of lollipop man Bill Thomas about the school children he protects after being voted the best lollipop man in the South East.

He has worked at Hempstead Infant School, in Hempstead Road, Gillingham for the past five years. Many pupils gave their support by sending poems, paintings and drawings endorsing his good work.

He scooped the regional prize in the Kwik Fit Insurance Lollipop Person of the Year awards. He won £500 in travel vouchers, £100 in book vouchers for the school and a trophy in the shape of a silver lollipop.

Bill is now in with the chance of winning the overall UK title, where he could win a £1,500 holiday, £200 in book vouchers for his school and a school visit from Britain's Got Talent winner George Sampson.

After picking up his award at a special assembly at the school on Wednesday, Bill said: “It is brilliant to have won knowing the school have given me so much support.

“If you talk to the people and the children they get to know you. That is important because children will only respond to you if they know you.

“I never let anyone go out of the gate without their mum or their dad so they know when I say “wait for your mum” to stop until they get there and then I say “bye, I’ll see you tomorrow.”

“To win the national would be brilliant, especially for the school. They are like a family to me.”