FREE school milk will soon be back on the menu for children in Bolton.

Education chiefs have agreed to bring back daily milk for nursery and reception children - for a trial period.

But it won't be a return to the glass bottles of yesteryear. Instead the milk looks likely to be delivered in cartons containing one third of a pint.

The scheme, which has been discussed with the town's head teachers, will begin in September and will run for a year.

Schools have the option to join the scheme and it is believed there will be a good take-up.

The cost of the scheme to Bolton Council will be offset by income from the Welfare Food Subsidy Scheme and the EC Milk Subsidy Scheme.

Members of the Council's Services for Schools committee heard the net cost to the authority is expected to be £26,000 in the first year.

Any schools needing additional fridges will get them and additional, or larger, wheelie bins will be provided to house the discarded milk cartons.

Schools will be required to meet any additional costs of administering the scheme themselves. The Welfare Milk and the EC Milk Subsidy schemes made the milk available to all school children under the age of five.

But the authority felt it only fair to extend the scheme to all children in nursery and reception classes, to therefore include five year olds.

The Welfare Milk Scheme will begin on September 1 this year.

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