EMPLOYERS in Darlington are being urged to give staff extra time to walk their children to school as part of a campaign to increase fitness levels.

Darlington Primary Care Trust and Darlington Borough Council's road safety team are encouraging people to go on foot, particularly during Walk to School Week, from October 4 to 8.

The initiative ties in with The Northern Echo's Chance to Live campaign, which seeks to promote healthy living.

Darlington Primary Care Trust and Darlington Borough Council joined forces with The Northern Echo early this year to support the campaign.

A Chance to Live was launched by the newspaper following the death of its deputy chief photographer, Ian Weir, 38, to encourage more investment in coronary care resources.

The campaign now focuses on prevention rather than cure, and is highlighting a host of trust and council initiatives being introduced to keep people healthy, including Walk to School Week.

"What we are looking for is a bit more flexibility among employers during Walk to School week to allow parents time to walk their children to school," said road safety officer Norma Sheppard.

"Otherwise it's a bit of a downward spiral, with parents and children missing out on exercise and adding to the volumes of traffic."

The Darlington trust's healthy lifestyles officer, Ruth Brown, said there were a host of benefits to be gained from walking, including physical, social and psychological ones.

"Adults and children will become fitter and more healthy, there is an important social side to walking to school and the employers will benefit from a workforce which is fitter, more alert and more efficient," she said.

Mrs Sheppard also said it was important for young children to gain experience of crossing busy roads.

"Parents forget that youngsters don't have the road safety experience they had at the same age by walking to school with their mums and dads.

"We hope that during this week parents and carers will help children learn how to cope with today's roads."