HUNDREDS of staff in Darlington are to take part in a pilot project to improve the levels of health and fitness at work.

The town has been selected as one of nine in England in a drive to boost the health of the nation.

Up to 450 staff will be asked to join the scheme designed to boost well-being and reduce the numbers of days lost through injury and illness.

National estimates reveal about 40 million working days are lost every year through sickness.

The Government claims sickness absence costs employers £11bn pounds a year - 16 per cent of salary costs.

Stress-related conditions and muscle injuries, like back problems and broken bones, are now the most commonly reported causes of not being at work.

For the next two years, Darlington Primary Care Trust (PCT) will be the driving force behind the Working Well pilot project.

The £100,000 scheme is backed by Sport England, the Department of Health, the British Heart Foundation and the Big Lottery.

Working locally with international project management and services company Amec and Supreme Care Homes, PCT staff will focus on physical activity, stress management, smoking cessation, alcohol and drugs issues and nutrition.

Lifestyles expert Ruth Brown will co-ordinate the scheme. She said: "The starting point will be a needs assessment of staff as we want them to get involved in the scheme right from the beginning.

"From these findings, we will be able to shape the services we can provide people at work, whether that is workshops on how to cook healthy food or physical activity in their break times.

"We will also address company policies around transport, works bicycles and work-based shower and changing facilities.

"We spend a large part of our lives at work and if staff end up going in feeling tired, stressed and unwell they can end up being caught in a vicious circle."

Darlington PCT assistant director of health improvement Paul Davison said: "Key to success is the need to develop a positive culture when addressing workplace ill-health.

"The position we are aiming for is to improve the work experience for all staff, reduce work-related illness, improve recruitment and retention and make a contribution to reducing the 40 million days lost each year."