PARENTS are being urged to have safety checks carried out on child car seats.

Redcar and Cleveland Borough Council has set up a week of free safety inspections and refitting, if necessary, after national surveys revealed that more that 80 per cent of child seats are fitted incorrectly.

Supermarkets in East Cleveland are assisting the move by giving the council's trading standards section and road safety unit space in their car parks to carry out the checks.

Coun David Walsh, leader of Redcar and Cleveland Borough Council, said: "Surveys have shown that many child seats are fitted incorrectly.

"As we come into summer we come to a period where many families will be taking their children on holiday - holidays that often involve a lot of long distance high-speed driving.

"I think it is essential that all parents should check the safety of their child car seats and should try to pop round to one of our car seat drop-in surgeries, where the seats can be checked and refitted on the spot."

He added: "At the end of the day we all want to see safety on the roads, especially for the very young. These surgeries will be one way of ensuring that."

The checks are being carried out at Safeway in West Dyke Road, Redcar on Monday, June 17 and at the Co-op on Marske High Street, on Tuesday, June 18.

Kwik Save in Eston High Street will be the venue on Wednesday, June 19 and Safeway in Westgate, Guisborough, on Thursday, June 20.

Checks will be available at Asda, South Bank, on Friday, June 21 and at Somerfield, Saltburn, on Saturday, June 22.

The safety checks will be carried out at these venues between 10.30am and 1.30pm.