Stayin' Alive with the Hedgehog are pupils, from left: David Jeffs, eight, Danielle Birchall, nine, Zoe Hutchings, nine and Gina Perkins, eight SCHOOLCHILDREN in Leigh have helped to launch a national road safety campaign designed to save the lives of children throughout the country.

They highlighted the danger children face crossing the road when they met the spiky star of a funky new road safety TV commercial.

The "star" in question is an all-singing, all-dancing cartoon hedgehog which visited Westleigh Methodist Primary School to launch the latest Government campaign to save young lives on the streets.

The character was seen on TV for the first time on Saturday performing a new version of the classic 1970s Bee Gee's hit, Stayin' Alive, with re-written road-awareness lyrics.

It is hoped the entertaining commercial will help reduce the number of child deaths on the roads. Every day nearly 10 children are killed or seriously injured on the highways.

Gill Burrow, headteacher at the Westleigh Lane school, said: "We are delighted to be part of the North-west launch of the Stayin' Alive campaign.

"It reinforces the stop, look and listen road safety message in an exciting and fun way which gets the message across clearly to the children."

The hedgehog and his friends will appear on primetime children's TV slots dressed in reflective jackets until October 31. A second series of adverts promoting a 'Be Safe, Be Seen' message will also run from October 29 to November 5.

Transport and Environment Minister Lord Whitty launched the national campaign last Friday with BBC Newsround presenter Kate Sanderson, who said it was important young people had their independence but listened to the important messages of the campaign.

She added: "We want to make them streetwise so they take care, keep safe and stay alive."

Although Britain has a good safety record, the Government wants a 50 pc reduction in the number of youngsters killed or seriously injured by 2010. Lyrics for the new Stayin' Alive advert Well you can tell by the way I cross the road

That I've learnt all my green cross code

Find a place where you can see

And then you can cross easily

And now it's alright

It's OK

Make sure you have looked both ways

And when it's clear, nothing to fear

When you use your eyes and ears

Whether it's the city

You're staying alive

Staying Alive

Whenever you're a crossin'

Just stop, look and listen

And we're staying alive

Staying alive

Ah ah ah ah staying ali-i-ive