POP Idol contestant Aaron Bayley visited his former school yesterday to take a lesson in healthy living.

The Newcastle-born singer was launching a Northumbrian Water initiative to encourage children to drink more water by making water coolers available to all North-East schools.

The 28-year-old, who was a train driver before he appeared as a finalist on the first Pop Idol show, which launched Will Young and Gareth Gates to stardom, launches his first solo album in Newcastle today.

He launched the water scheme at his former school, Heaton Manor, in Newcastle.

Northumbrian Water has formed a partnership with Hepscott Water Systems, of Northumberland, for its "chill-out" campaign.

Fourteen schools in the region have bought or hired mains-fed coolers, and Northumbrian Water is providing financial support for them.

Grants are awarded according to schools' finances.

Schools in Middlesbrough, Barnard Castle, Ferryhill, Seaham, Durham, Northallerton and Redcar are among those which will have coolers installed.

John Mowbray, of Northumbrian Water, said: "We have turned the tap on this unique scheme to provide easy access for schoolchildren to our top-quality drinking water, and hope that they will develop a good habit of drinking plenty of water to help them at school."