Road patrol crossing officer Bill Crispin has been awarded an MBE in the Queen's New Year's honours list.

Bill, 81, has been on duty at West Alvington Primary School for the last 11 years and has been given his honour for services to education.

As well as ensuring that the children get to and from school safely, he volunteers at the school three days a week helping with reading, counting up house points, shredding documents 'and ensuring that the staff have a much needed cup of tea at the end of the day'.

Bill was evacuated with his brother from London to Kingsbridge in 1940 and recalls being in the cinema, which was then located in the Regal Club, Church Street, when a bomb dropped, blowing the doors off.

Bill was a retained firefighter with the Devon Fire Brigade in Kingsbridge for over 30 years. He is also a big fan of amateur dramatics starring in 14 pantomimes with the Dodbrooke Players, 14 shows with Kingsbridge Amateur Theatrical Society and this year will be his 10th pantomime with the Malborough Amateur Dramatics group.

Bill received a letter to say that he had been put forward for the honour on November 16, but was under strict instructions not to tell anyone.

He said: 'I was told that I must not say a word. I don't know how I kept it to myself. Not even my children knew, but they were so proud when I told them.

'I feel honoured and astonished to have been given this honour. There are so many thousands of ordinary people who go about their business doing things for their community and never get recognised.

'I would like to accept this honour on behalf of all of those people who deserve it but don't get it.

'I am very proud. I am just me, an ordinary person.'

Bill was nominated for an MBE by his good friend George Davis who was keen for an ordinary, hard working person to be considered for an honour. Kingsbridge town councillor Bob Freeman and West Alvington headteacher Rachel Perkins wrote letters to support Bill's appointment.

Cllr Bob Freeman said: 'I must first of all say how delighted I am that Bill has been given this award which I believe he richly deserves.

'He is not a person who makes the headlines in normal circumstances but unassumingly goes around doing good works and helping people of the town in many ways.

'He will always be the one to volunteer for any task, large or small, however unpopular, and his constant good humour is an example to us all.

'I am sure that his work as a lollipop man and the help he gives in many hours helping the children with their reading are well known, but, perhaps, much less known are the many acts of service he carries out in the town.

'He is always willing to help out in any good cause and particularly in Dodbrooke Parish Church, where he has been a member of the choir for as long as I remember and until recently helped with ringing the bells and mowing the grass in the churchyard.

'In short, as I put in my letter of commendation, he is in my opinion truly one of the salt of the earth.'

Mrs Perkins said: 'Bill has worked as a crossing patrol officer at our school for the last 10 years. He is now 81 years old and has the energy of a man of half his age. Over the last 10 years he has become a huge part of our community. He works religiously through bad weather and good, helping our children cross the road to and from school every day. Nothing is ever too much trouble for Bill, he always puts himself last and will go out of his way to help anyone in need.

'Three years ago Bill was the runner up in the Lollipop man of the year in the South West, we were all very proud of his achievement. He is reliable, trustworthy and a stickler for time keeping.

'Bill told me that he wants to continue to be our lollipop man for another nine years as long as his health is good, and we would be delighted if he did.

'The children think he is wonderful, he is kind, caring and most importantly a highly respected member of our school community.

'We are all absolutely delighted in his honour and are very proud of him!'

Bill will get an invitation to Buckingham Palace to collect his award in the next six months and says that he is not nervous about meeting royalty.