PUPILS and staff at a Teesside primary school have been training hard for a skipping challenge in aid of the British Heart Foundation.

The Jump Off challenge at Fairfield Primary School, in Stockton, will be part of the national Jump Rope For Heart initiative, by the British Heart Foundation, to raise funds for heart research, education and patient care.

It encourages healthy habits - and shows keeping fit can be fun - as experts say caring for your heart from an early age is the best way to prevent heart problems.

Pupils at Fairfield Primary have been developing their skipping skills for the past few weeks, exercising their hearts and improving their co-ordination, while having fun.

Now they have mastered their skills, the school is holding a sponsored Jump Off when they will skip in groups of up to six for one hour on Wednesday. The skippers are sponsored for every five minutes their team jumps rope.

Teacher Sue Wilcox, who is co-ordinating the event, said: "The children are really getting excited and looking forward to the challenge, to raise money for the British Heart Foundation."