CHILDREN and parents have been putting safety first, thanks to an initiative in Darlington.

Health and social care staff were joined by police, fire and St John Ambulance representatives for a safety day in the town.

The event, organised by the SureStart nursery, in McNay Street, was held at Darlington Railway Museum, in North Road. Darlington Primary Care Trust community health nurse, Michelle Wolstenholme, said the event had been staged to coincide with National Safety Awareness week and the One Moment Can Change Everything campaign.

She said that a million children under the age of 15 had to visit accident and emergency departments every year after injuring themselves.

Half of those are said to be under the age of five and 600 will die as a result.

Every one-and-a-half minutes, someone is also scalded or burnt, and ten children a day go to hospital for treatment.

Ms Wolstenholme said children's skin was 15 times thinner than adults' and three seconds in 60 degree temperature water was enough to give them third degree burns.

Organisers said the event had been arranged to educate parents about the potential everyday risks to their children.

Parents were given advice on the possible dangers in toys, perils in the garden and water safety, healthy eating, first aid and drug and alcohol awareness.