Betty Scott hands in her lollipop after 37 years of helping Lesmahagow schoolchildren

And the guests included some of their parents, who had also been shepherded across the road by Betty in their day.

Betty, now 70, has been the lollipop lady there for more than half her liftime, notching up more than 37 years service.

“I was working in a factory and this came up and I was handy,” said Betty, who lives just up the hill from Woodpark.

“My kids were small – my son had not long started primary and my daughter was at the school.” She saw her own children across the road and later saw her eldest grandchildren over as well.

And she very much enjoyed her work over the years.

“I loved working with the kids,” said Betty. “Some days with the weather and the rain I came home and I was soaking and frozen but I loved my job.”

At the assembly, every class did a little act for Betty – some wrote poems, some made collage lollipop sticks, some classes made books to give her and even sang songs for her.

She was then given a gift by the children and the staff presented her with a bouqet.

“Betty was so touched she could hardly speak through her tears as she thanked the children for all the effort they had put in to make her day so special,” said Marianne Rodden, acting principal teacher.

Betty added that she had left the school so laden with gifts that one of her neighbours came out to carry them for her.

She added: “It was beautiful. It was so touching.

“All I did on Friday was cry, but it was a happy crying day!”

HELEN McCALL