A shocking video has been released that shows the moment a lollipop man is pushed to the floor and robbed of his stick.

In the CCTV footage posted to YouTube by West Midlands Police, the 82-year-old man, who does not wish to be named, can be seen at a zebra crossing by the Humber Pub in Coventry, before he is attacked by an unknown assailant.

The attacker tries to wrestle the fluorescent yellow safety sign with the lollipop man in the middle of the street, shoving him to ground and running off with the stick.

The school crossing patrol man, an elderly pensioner, has been helping schoolchildren cross the road for over 14 years and travels ten miles every day to patrol various school sites across Coventry.

The offender is described as a white man, around 6ft 2in tall, of athletic build, in his late 20s to early 30s, with bushy or thick hair. He was wearing dark clothing.

Following the robbery a passer-by spotted a blue Vauxhall Vectra car driving away and stopping in a nearby street, where three men got out, one of whom was carrying the lollipop stick. He confronted them and was able to get the stick back for the lollipop man.

The incident took place on Wednesday 21 January. West Midlands Police have asked the public to contact them if they have any information on 101 or call the charity Crimestoppers anonymously on 0800 555 111.