A SERGEANT major did not waste time persuading schoolchildren to keep quiet yesterday.

Sgt Major Les Stimson was invited to Seaton Holy Trinity Primary School in Seaton Carew, near Hartlepool to convince them to be quiet in the way only a sergeant major can.

The soldier was there at part of Noise Action Day to show the children the impact noise can have on people's lives.

Staff from Hartlepool Borough Council were present with a decibel meter to gauge the volume of the sergeant major's shouting and pupils were also invited to put the meter to the test.

Emma Tierny, principal officer in the environmental standards department of the council, said: "We thought this would be a fun and interesting way of getting the pupils at the school to think about noise and how it can become a problem.

"When we talk about pollution we tend to think about industry and transport as being the main sources of it. However, noise can be a form of pollution that actually impacts directly on people's health."