DURHAM County Council is offering free flu jabs to social services staff who care for old people.

The council is keen to ensure that services are not disrupted during the busy winter months because of staff sickness.

So it is encouraging more than 1,200 workers to get vaccinated and offering to pay any medical bills from its winter pressures budget.

The scheme, which is being run with the County Durham and Darlington Health Authority, was successful last year, significantly reducing sickness levels.

The council's occupational health unit will offer the vaccination to older persons' teams, residential care staff and emergency duty teams.

Social services project manager George Longthorne said: "We have a real duty to our clients and want to ensure our staff are available during times of great need.

"By offering the flu immunisation programme we hope to minimise the risk of front- line staff being sick and not being able to carry out their duties. That will mean a better service for our clients.

"I hope we get a good take-up from staff and would urge as many as possible to roll up their sleeves."