YOUNG people shared their views on safety at an event at a Weardale school.

Pupils from Stanhope Barrington Primary School teamed up with King James Community College, in Bishop Auckland, and an Investing in Children group from Tow Law to give a presentation on accident prevention, particularly near schools.

They addressed a partnership of fire, police, education, council and health professionals working to reduce road casualties.

Dr David Landes, acting director of public health for County Durham Primary Care Trust (PCT), said schools in rural and urban areas experienced similar safety problems.

He said: "It doesn't matter whether you are in the town or the country, the issues highlighted by the children are the same.

"One of the problems is about parking near schools, so by encouraging children to walk to school we can help."

Host school Stanhope Barrington lost its walking bus because of a shortage of volunteer parents.

Headteacher Lynne Bainbridge said: "The children are very aware of the need to be safe, but they don't always remember.

"Although we have lost the walking bus, a lot more children walk to school than before so it has been effective.

Pearl Wolstenholme, the PCT's accident prevention officer, said: "Investing in accident prevention is very important to both the NHS and the PCT's public health team.

"The children's ideas will be taken back to a steering group and will be very useful."