A PILOT scheme to encourage people in County Durham to eat more fruit and vegetables has been hailed a success.

The Take Five project, which has covered the Dales and Darlington during the past year, urged people to eat at least five pieces of fruit and vegetables each day.

An independent survey carried out at the end of the project found that 20 per cent more people in the district had started introducing more fruit and vegetables into their diets.

On average, the number of people eating more healthy foods rose from 35 per cent to 55 per cent.

In Weardale, the number of people eating five or more portions of fruit and vegetables each day rose to 27 per cent.

And the message really hit home in Teesdale, where more than 50 per cent of people have raised their intake of fruit and vegetables.

As part of the pilot project, organised by County Durham and Darlington NHS, activities were held in a variety of venues to help raise awareness and change attitudes to healthy eating.

Theme days and cookery demonstrations were held in supermarkets, schools, workplaces and leisure centres, and leaflets were distributed at farmers' markets and doctors' surgeries.

Joanne Coady, Take Five coordinator, said the success of the pilot project would help spread the message across the whole of County Durham.

She said: "I am very pleased that the survey showed that overall attitude changes are moving in the right direction.

"The age group 18 to 24 has had the best improvements in attitudes, and success has been shown in reaching disadvantaged groups."