CHOCOLATE, crisps and fizzy drinks have all been banned from the lunchboxes of children at a Bolton school.

And many others are adopting similar policies, by outlawing junk food in their playgrounds and drawing up healthy eating programmes for pupils.

At Claypool Primary in Horwich, school chiefs introduced the lunchbox ban on junk food following consultation with pupils.

Jenny Higson, senior school manager, said the scheme had been a huge success. She added: "Crisps, chocolate and fizzy drinks are banned altogether. We discussed healthy eating and living with the children and they came to the conclusion they should not be brought into school.

"A handful of children disagreed but because the majority were in favour we decided to go ahead. Parents have been very supportive of the move and because the children made the decision they have kept to it."

Staff at Bowness Primary in Little Lever have banned junk food in the playground and if children are found with sweets or chocolate they are confiscated until the end of the day.

Headteacher, Denise Cooney, said: "We speak to parents about the school policy of healthy eating in the playground if children bring chocolate to school, but it is more difficult with packed lunches. We do encourage parents to provide more healthy lunches and they have improved, particularly given the publicity about school meals."

At some schools, if children take chocolate or crisps as breaktime snacks, letters are sent home to their parents outlining the school's healthy eating policy.

At others, the food is confiscated until the end of school, or parents are approached about the issue.

Harwood Meadows in Harwood has banned chocolate, crisps and sweets during the school breaktimes and is looking to adopt a healthier packed lunch initiative.

Their healthy school co-ordinator, Karen Wood said: "We do have a friendly word with the parents if children bring in chocolates and sweets to eat at breaktime and we do encourage more healthy snacks such as yoghurt and fruit."

Other schools including Beaumont in Bolton, Cherry Tree in Farnworth, Clarendon in Bolton and Top o'th' Brow in Breightmet said they did not have packed lunch rules, but added they "actively encouraged" parents to provide healthier alternatives through school newsletters and parents' evenings.

Wendy Holland, headteacher of Clarendon, said: "Fizzy drinks are banned on grounds of health and safety, because many of them are in glass bottles. We will contact parents of children who bring drinks like this in to school."

The headteachers of Chorley New Road Primary in Horwich and Markland Hill Primary in Bolton, said they are looking to introduce a new packed lunch policy to supplement the already healthy school meals provided during lunch time.

Chorley New Road headteacher, Andrew Hurst, said: "Whenever we mention that chocolate or crisps should not brought into school, it does not go down well with some parents for some reason. But we are looking at the issue and at putting a policy in place."

Lesley Jones, specialist in public health at Bolton Primary Care Trust (PCT), said: "It's really important to get into good, healthy eating habits at an early age, and we're really pleased that local schools and schoolchildren are thinking of innovative ways to do this."

Cllr Carole Swarbrick, Bolton Council's executive member for customer relations and schools, said: "The local education authority will always offer to support such initiatives. Child obesity is very high profile now and it is great that schools are taking this very seriously."