ANTI-SMOKING campaigners are using a pantomime to get over their message to primary school children over the next few days.

Youngsters in south-west Durham will be seeing performances of the show throughout next week to mark No Smoking Day on Wednesday.

The pantomime will be performed four times a day in order to reach as many children as possible in years two, three and four.

The initiative is backed by the Dales Primary Care Group, local health professionals, and police and fire services. Project co-ordinator Lynn Reed said: "We want to bring the message about the dangers of smoking to the children of the dales in a fun way."

Dawn Hull, smoking cessation advisor for the Dales Primary Care Group, said: "450 children start smoking every day, and every year 120,000 smokers in the UK die as a result of tobacco addiction.

"By telling young children about the dangers of smoking we hope to reduce the number of children in the dales that start smoking, particularly young girls."