BOLTON schoolchildren will be walking out en masse next week as part of a national campaign to encourage safety on the roads.

Parents are being urged to leave the car at home from Monday onwards as National Walk to School Week gets underway.

Bolton Council road safety officer Trevor Higson is encouraging as many youngsters as possible to walk at least some of the way to school.

And Mr Higson says the benefits of a brisk stroll first thing in the morning for children could be enormous.

"New Government research has found that teachers think it is an excellent way for pupils to wake up fully so they are ready for the first lesson of the day," said Mr Higson. "We're not saying everyone should walk all the way to school but in many cases parents could park a few streets away from school and complete the remaining distance with their children on foot. This cuts congestion, saves time waiting for parking spaces and makes the start of the day more stress free.

"Another benefit is that parents walking their children to school can also use that time to give them valuable road safety instructions."