THOUSANDS of youngsters will be walking to school safely this week.
Redcar and Cleveland Borough Council's road safety unit is handing out 200 yellow safety waistcoats, with help from road safety mascot Spike, to each of the borough's 56 primary schools, as part of National Walk To School Week.
The plastic tabards have been sponsored by oil company BP.
Road safety officer Mike Hall said yesterday: "We believe we are the only road safety unit in the country that is handing out these free tabards. Our crossing patrol officers are giving away stickers, too."
There will be an extra reward for five children from each school, nominated by their headteachers, who have made extra efforts to walk to school.
They will receive a special pack from Spike, and all the names will go into a hat for one winner to have tea with Spike and win £20 worth of compact disc vouchers.
Four youngsters from Northgate School, Guisborough, are already setting a good example.
Ten-year-olds Christopher Loftus and Lydia Newton, along with James Hopkin and Rebecca Mitchell, both nine, are featured wearing the tabards in 2,000 posters promoting walking to school.
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