NEARLY 4,000 Darlington children will receive a free piece of fruit every day from next week.

The youngsters, at 27 schools, will join more than a million pupils already taking part in the National School Fruit Scheme, set up to promote healthy eating and discourage obesity.

Pupils aged four to six at schools taking part in the scheme - and classmates who are older or younger - are entitled to the fruit.

A total of 739 schools are already taking part in the rest of County Durham and on Tyneside, Wearside and Tees-side.

The 171 schools that will join the project next week will bring the total in the region to 910 and the number of pupils receiving free fruit to 113,000.

Regional director of public health Dr Bill Kirkup said: "Achieving such a high take-up rate is a reflection of the hard work of our staff and great news for local youngsters.

"The more children we can encourage to embrace a healthy diet the better.

"Many who are given the chance to try fruit and vegetables enjoy the taste and begin to ask for them at home, potentially sowing the seeds for a healthier future."

The £42m pilot programme is funded by the New Opportunities Fund and will be introduced across the rest of the country.

The next stage will be launched by North-East farmer Sir Don Curry, at a school in Alnwick, Northumberland.

He said: "If UK farming is to be sustainable and profitable it must be able to meet the increasing demand for healthy eating."