IT was a case of stop, look, listen - and shimmy.

Anton du Beke from hit BBC TV series Strictly Come Dancing put ten Southampton lollipop men and women through their paces after their council boss won a day in his company.

Anton, whose partner in this year's competition was Hampshire TV personality Esther Rantzen, pictured, travelled to the city yesterday after Karen Macklin, Southampton's road safety officer, entered a competition on the show's daily fanzine programme, Strictly Come Dancing Take Two.

Anton met council staff at Southampton's Civic Centre before heading to Radstock Road in Woolston - where he helped the lollipop staff put a spring in their step - and meeting children from nearby Ludlow Junior School.

Anton and Esther, who has a home in the New Forest, were voted out of the show by the public last month.

When 44-year-old Karen, from Romsey, entered the competition she hoped the publicity would encourage people to become lollipop people.

Southampton City Council is currently short of 20 people to patrol school crossings in the area.

Karen said: "It's been an absolutely brilliant day. It was lovely to see Anton at the office - he brought a smile to everyone's face. Being a lollipop man or woman is a really worthwhile job. It is so important to get the children to and from school in safety. It takes a special person to come out in all weathers for one hour in the morning and one in the afternoon."

She added: "I only dance socially, but after being thrown on my back by Anton I might be tempted to take it up - I quite enjoyed it!"

Anton, who claimed he "hadn't been happier" since he last danced with Esther, said: "I've had a wonderful time here today, everyone's been brilliant. The show's popularity doesn't surprise me. Ballroom dancing is so glamorous and such a lovely thing to do. I had a great time with Esther, she's such a lovely lady and we are great mates."

Anton's encounter with Southampton's lollipop men and women is due to be screened on Strictly Come Dancing Take Two at 6.30pm tonight on BBC2.