Bright idea

Children at a Wisbech primary school will be seen and be safe after being handed high visibility jackets for walking to and from school. About 300 were handed out to children at the Orchards Primary School, where many walk to school. The school, in Cherr

Children at a Wisbech primary school will be seen and be safe after being handed high visibility jackets for walking to and from school.

About 300 were handed out to children at the Orchards' Primary School, where many walk to school.

The school, in Cherry Road, has received £5,800 from a travel plan scheme, promoted by Cambridgeshire County Council, to encourage parents and children to find alternatives to using the car.

Headteacher Jackie Carpenter said: "We had to show how we would promote safer travel to and from school.

"We decided to use some of this funding to buy safety jackets for Reception to Year Three children, so they can be seen more safely on the darker winter mornings and evenings."

About 300 jackets were bought with the scheme, costing about £1,000, with the jackets handed out by class teachers.

Mrs Carpenter said: "We wanted to ensure the children had them from their teachers so they could be taught about how to keep safe."

Some of the jackets were kept spare for use by the older children in the school, as well as adults, for when classes walk to places as part of their studies.

The school hopes to use the remainder of the money to out up safety rails outside the school entrance and improve the cycle pods, which is a requirement under the travel plan scheme.