Primary school teachers and parents are pleading for their resident lollipop lady to be reinstated after two youngsters were knocked down by a van.

Christ Church Primary School, in St Leonards, has been without one of their two crossing attendants since one died in December 2012.

East Sussex County Council is yet to replace the £4,000 a year post, stating the road does not meet the “nationally accepted criteria”.

However, after two pupils aged eight and 10 were knocked down on Friday, school leaders are calling on them to act now before someone is seriously hurt or killed.

Russell Thorne, deputy head, said: “Thankfully the two children were not too badly hurt but this should act as a warning.

“The position doesn’t cost a lot of money but is very important. We want to see the patrol reinstated.”

The school, which is in Woodland Vale Road, used to have two lollipop ladies – one in London Road and one in Tower Road.

During a council review it was deemed the crossing in Tower Road did not meet the criteria – which takes into account the number of children crossing, speed and number of vehicles – and so was not replaced.

Mr Thorne said that despite not meeting the criteria, the road remained dangerous due to a number of factors.

He said: “It acts as a link road between Bohemia Road and London Road so ends up being a bit of a rat run between the two.

“There are also always plenty of cars parked along the road so visibility is an issue.”

Paramedics were called to the incident on Friday and took both pupils to Conquest Hospital.

Both were released later the same day. One had broken teeth and bruises while the other suffered cuts and bruises.

A spokeswoman for the council said that while the road did not meet the criteria, funding had not yet been withdrawn.

She said: “The savings we’re having to make mean it is not feasible to continue to fund the crossing patrols which do not meet nationally accepted criteria.

“We don’t want to see crossing patrols taken away from schools where staff and parents want them, and we will do whatever we can to assist schools who want to continue their crossing patrol by means of securing sponsorship or recruiting volunteers, as well as supporting and managing such patrols.

“We are talking to all the affected schools to discuss ways in which we can help them to keep their patrol.”