YOUNGSTERS at a village primary school were given road safety advice yesterday in a move designed to improve the journey to and from their school.

An assembly was held at Kirk Merrington Primary School, near Spennymoor, yesterday which included a talk by Travel Plan Sam, from Durham County Council's School Travel Planning Team.

The team is working with the school to look at ways of improving safety around the school, which could include traffic calming work, new footpaths and cycle routes and bike storage.

They will also raise awareness of road dangers and encourage parents to leave the car at home for the short trips to school and use safer, greener and fitter alternatives such as walking and cycling.

Headteacher Helen Williams said: "The entrance to school is obscured so the possibility of accidents happening to our children is a worry.

"We wanted to improve the number of children walking to school and use the plan to keep our pupils safe."