CHILDREN were steered in the right direction at the opening of an orienteering course.

The course is a joint venture between the William Cassidy Church of England Primary School and Stockton Borough Council's countryside teams, and has been partly sponsored by the Tees Forest and local firm, Darchem.

Mike Hardy, of Cleveland Orienteering Club, led pupils round the route at Stillington Forest Country Park, which is next to their Stockton school.

Ian Bond, a park warden, said: "The park's contoured terrain makes it an ideal course for people wanting to try orienteering. It's hoped that it will be used by lots of people."

Jean Piart, the headteacher at William Cassidy, said: "The children already have one orienteering course in the school grounds and it's wonderful that we're going to have a larger one next door.

"It is pretty exciting to be able to extend the children's learning in this way."