THE father of three of Bury's most famous sporting stars has revealed how his children took their first steps into the sporting world to support a charity campaign encouraging toddlers to keep active.

Neville Neville, father to Manchester United footballers Phil and Gary Neville and England netball captain Tracey, was one of many parents interviewed by Barnardo's on how their famous offspring became sports stars in the run-up to the 2005 Foresters Big Toddle for Barnardo's.

The Big Toddle is Barnardo's biggest annual fundraiser encouraging parents to register their under-fives to take part in half-mile sponsored walks. Last year, thousands of toddlers across the country raised £1million to help disadvantaged children and community groups.

Mr Neville said: "It makes you proud to have three successful sporting children. Certainly they were all encouraged to run outside, eat healthily and get plenty of fresh air from a very early age and they all played ball games as toddlers. I think they urged each other on to be winners."

Other parents interviewed in the poll included the mothers of rugby player Jonny Wilkinson, Olympic rower Matthew Pinsent and athletes Ashia Hansen, Christian Malcolm and Liz McColgan.

In all cases, the parents revealed their offspring were kicking a ball, handling a racquet or racing about before their fifth birthday.

Health and fitness expert, Amanda Ursell, said: "If children learn to enjoy exercise early on, they will be healthier, fitter individuals in later life. It is recommended that youngsters do 60 minutes of physical exercise per day and something like Barnardo's Big Toddle is an excellent way to achieve this target."

Pre-schools, playgroups and nurseries can all organise their own sponsored walk and get to keep 25 per cent of the funds they raise.

To register, visit web site, www.barnardos.org.uk/bigtoddle, phone 08457 697 967. or email big.toddle@barnardos.org.uk