MORE than 200 people gathered outside a Newport primary school on Tuesday to pay their respects to a much-loved lollipop lady who died this month.

The funeral cortege of lollipop lady Teresa Hill, 48, passed by St Julian's Primary School where she worked for 17 years and won numerous awards for never missing a day's work.

Mrs Hill, who was diagnosed with ovarian cancer in December, lost her battle against the disease on July 11 and died at St Anne's Hospice.

Tuesday's service went without hitch, said husband Chris.

"Teresa had a wonderful send off," said Mr Hill, 48, from St Julian's, a former postman and now a manager for Royal Mail.

"There were around 200 people gathered outside St Julian's Primary School at Teresa's crossing post.

"They all applauded as a fellow lollipop lady stepped in to the road to halt traffic, as the cortege paused," he said.

Mrs Hill's funeral cortege passed the school before travelling to St Mary's Church, on Stow Hill.

A wake took place at Rodney Parade.

"The community spirit and realisation of how tragic an event this was, along with the support given to my family from the community, will stay with us forever," said Mr Hill.

The couple's sons, Anthony, 26, now a postman, and Jonathon, 23, a children's care home worker, were Argus paperboys for eight years and the family has received cards addressed to the boys from their former customers.

The frontman of one of Mrs Hill's favourite bands The Alarm, Mike Peters, wrote to Mrs Hill during her illness about his own battle with cancer.

St Julian's Primary School head teacher David Rees said Mrs Hill, who lived near the 587-pupil school, did a fantastic job come rain or shine.

"We will miss Teresa tremendously and it is a tragedy she has passed away at such a young age," he said.