SECURITY wristbands are being used by East Lancashire schools to ensure pupil safety on organised trips.

The bands enable children can be identified in an emergency, or if they get separated from the rest of the group.

They are brightly coloured to be immediately visible, and have the school's name and phone number, or the mobile number of the teacher in charge.

The wristbands are virtually impossible for the children to remove, and have to be cut off at the end of the trip.

Crewe-based security products firm SG World is one of the companies that now makes wristbands specifically for school children.

Since the recent launch of the firm's education website, more than 150 schools nationwide have started using its school visit wristband.

They include St Paul's RC Primary, Feniscowles, St Thomas CE Primary and Intack Primary, all Blackburn, and it is hoped more East Lancashire primaries and nurseries will join them.

A company spokesperson said: "We were providing wristbands for businesses, but it became clear that they could be of real use to schools.

"No one can guarantee that a young child won't get separated from the group on a school visit. The wristbands mean that the adult finding the child will make an immediate phone call to the school or the teacher, so that the child can be reunited with the group as quickly as possible.

"When a child does get separated from the group, and where that child is particularly young, it is often the case that the child will find it difficult to communicate with strangers - and few will be able to remember the phone number of their school."

Diane Lloyd, school visit co-ordinator at St Paul's Primary, Preston Old Road, said: "We use the wristbands for our reception classes.

"Although thankfully we have never had a child get lost on a trip, it gives staff and parents an added insurance.

"On trips to places which are popular with schools, it can mean children are identified much quicker should they get separated."