NEW juice bars are encouraging pupils at two schools to include more fresh fruit in their daily diet.

Pupils at Tanfield School, near Stanley, and Parkside, at Willington, are among the first in the country to try a juice bar launched by education catering company Scolarest.

The company's nutritionist, Gina Gorvett, said: "There is increasing evidence that people who eat lots of fruit and vegetables are less likely to develop serious illnesses, such as heart disease. That's why it is recommended that we all eat at least five portions of fruit and vegetables a day.

"It's particularly important that we encourage young people to get into the habit of eating more fruit as part of their daily diet.

"The juice bars provide a healthy alternative to fizzy drinks and make it easy for youngsters to enjoy juice, which can also count towards one of the five-a-day portions, at morning break or lunchtime."

The juice bars also sell fruit pockets, which are bags of prepared fresh fruit, such as grapes with slices of apples and melon.

Tanfield headteacher Archie Howat said: "The juice bar adds to Tanfield pupils' healthy lifestyle campaign.

"Healthy eating is seen as important by pupils through the work they are doing with the school's Nutrition Action Group."

Scolarest has also introduced juice bars in two schools in the West Midlands.