THEY bring a whole new meaning to the term boy-racer but they're among the safest drivers in town.

The world's first driving school for four and five-year-olds has opened in Teesside where pre-school age children are put through their paces - in toy cars.

Because of the proliferation of model cars, which can cost up to £500, and reports that they are being taken out on the roads, police and safety officers have introduced the driving lessons.

In between trying to run over Redcar and Cleveland Borough Council mascot Spike, the children at Chaloner Hall Day Nursery in Guisborough drove around a coned course and learnt not to play on the roads.

Amid the children's laughter, Mike Hall, the council's road safety officer, stressed the serious side of the one-hour driving course.

He said: "We have had several complaints, including one from a driver who had to swerve to avoid a little lad driving a car along a main road - and his parents were walking on the pavement alongside him.

"We can give the youngsters some very useful dos and don'ts about where and when to use these cars, but it's up to the parents to be responsible. They need to be pressing home the road safety message as well."

Cleveland police officer PC Paul McCabe added that parents should only allow the vehicles to be driven in secure play areas. He said: "The dangers arising from the use of these cars on busy roads speak for themselves. They're not designed for that. The best and safest places are secure play areas."

Nursery manager Sally Hazlewood said: "I think the training sessions are a great idea. I'm sure people might think it's funny for youngsters to get driving lessons, but we've all got to be so aware of the dangers that could happen."

But what did the region's newest qualified drivers think of the course? "You should keep off the road all the time," said George Whitwick, five, "because a car could run you over. Anyway, you would probably just spend all your time in a traffic jam."

George's pal, five-year-old Robbie Allday, also picked up the safety message, despite betraying a slightly reckless side. "You have to drive it properly or you could end up driving right into a tree," he said. "I liked riding the jeep better than the bike because it was faster. We nearly drove into Spike and a photographer man." Heather Dalby, four, and Jonathan Whiteside, also four, agreed that you had to be very careful in the cars.

Chaloner Hall Day Nursery is the first organisation to take part in the one-hour course in the east Cleveland area.

Other nursery groups or primary schools interested in setting up a driving course, which includes an appearance by road safety mascot Spike, they should contact the council's road safety team on (01287) 612368.