MIDDLESBROUGH Football Club is hoping to help improve the area's poor record of deaths from heart disease.

A healthy living message is to be taught to hundreds of children on Teesside, where the combined death rate from heart disease, cancers and strokes is 15 per cent above the national average.

The Premiership club is behind a £220,000 Fit Through Football programme, which encourages youngsters to increase physical exercise and improve their diet.

It is being funded by the Football Foundation and Redcar and Cleveland Borough Council.

The programme is being introduced in 25 primary schools, over three years.

Schools will be given a full day's course at the club's Riverside Stadium and its football community centre in Eston.

The club's community staff will then deliver a ten-week, in-school course to drive home the importance of a healthy lifestyle.

Boro manager Steve McClaren said: "Boro are leading the field in using their profile to influence young people as part of a national anti-obesity campaign.

"Fitness and diet are key elements of the modern-day game, so football clubs are in an ideal position to advise and influence children in particular.

"Much has been made recently about increasing levels of obesity, but if the football club, through schemes such as this, can make even a small difference then the effort has to be well worthwhile."

Rob Lake, Middlesbrough's community project manager, said: "The health of our young people is a major concern at the moment and this initiative will hopefully kickstart the children into leading a healthier and more active lifestyle.

"The sessions use football as a way of getting across important health messages in a fun and interactive way.

"Along the way, we aim to get children active out of school, not just with football but by introducing them to all sorts of activities."

As well as the ten-week health promotion, the 25 schools have signed up to a football skills programme that rewards children for good behaviour. There will also be after-school football coaching.

Secondary schools will take part in five-a-side leagues and youngsters will be rewarded for good behaviour and attendance at school.

* The death rate from heart disease on Teesside among men is 113.7 per 100,000 population, compared with a national average of 105.9. For women it is 47.2 per cent on Teesside, compared with 36.3 per cent nationally.