A SCHOOL'S pupils are shunning chips and chocolate in favour of fruit and a balanced diet.

Copeland Road Primary School began educating children about healthy eating several months ago. Now pupils have their own fruit stall, breakfast club and healthy eating cooking sessions.

Pupils are also elected to sit on the Nutrition Action Group board, also known as Nag, with nurses, teachers and parents. Other initiatives at the West Auckland school include discouraging children from eating sweets, giving them water to drink instead of sugary drinks and creating healthy eating recipes at the school cookery club.

The school was recently awarded a national Healthy Schools Standard award for its general approach to the health and well-being of its pupils.

Healthy eating co-ordinator and teacher at the school, Patricia Monk, said: "There has been a tremendous response from the children. Just about everybody in the school has had a piece of fruit today from the fruit stall, which the children are running themselves."