NEARLY 100,000 North-East children are to receive a free piece of fruit each day for a year as part of a scheme to boost health.

The Government-backed scheme will provide every state school child between the ages of four and six with a piece of fruit five days a week.

It is part of a package of measures to encourage people in the region to eat more fruit and vegetables.

Experts believe that eating at least five portions of fruit and vegetables each day can prevent up to 20 per cent of deaths from coronary heart disease as well as some cancers.

Joanne Coady, a diet expert appointed as regional co-ordinator of the Five A Day programme, said: "In the North-East, we suffer from higher levels of heart disease and cancer than many other regions of the UK.

"We need to increase the amount of fruit and veg we eat because we believe it has a protective effect against these serious illnesses."

Twelve local education authorities are involved in the scheme, which has already been piloted in London, the North-West and the Midlands.

It is hoped the scheme will begin in March.

The project is part of a wider campaign to encourage people to eat more healthily.

New ideas include a scheme in South Tyneside and Gateshead that is recruiting retired people to work alongside pupils on school allotments.

Another scheme in the same area involves setting up a network of depots where cut-price fruit and vegetables can be delivered to people's homes.