A FATHER-of-two is trying to reduce the number of obese children in East Lancashire by getting them motivated.

David Sutcliffe of Harle Syke, Burnley has set up a personal training company called Motivate' to educate school children about the benefits of health and exercise.

The former armed forces P.T instructor of ten years set up his business in 2005 after receiving a grant from Burnley Enterprise.

He will be going into five schools in the Burnley and Pendle area during the next school term to promote a positive healthy eating message.

David, who also worked as a gym instructor at Burnley Football Club, teaches the healthy eating message and promotes exercise by having a hands-on approach.

He said: "When I go in to schools it's important to be seen eating the right food, drinking plenty of water and keeping active.

"If the kids don't see you doing this, they're not going to take notice of what you're trying to teach them"

His work includes encouraging the development of after-school PE clubs and lunchbox initiatives for children, while also running fitness based training programmes for teaching staff.

He said: "It seems fewer and fewer young people are interested in playing sport or getting involved in other physical activities, and there's a battery of excuses for avoiding it.

"The government recommends that children and young people get one hour of physical activity a day but it just doesn't happen.

"Unless we educate our children about diet and fitness and encourage them to take part in sports, more and more children will become obese, and that's a scary thought.

"I'm doing something that I love and have made a really positive impact on many young people lives.

"Motivate is going from strength to strength and I plan to develop more projects over the next year to enable more and more people to embrace a healthy lifestyle."

The schools he will be visiting are St James Lanehead School, Burnley, Casterton Primary School, Burnley, Whitefield Infant School, Nelson, Trawden Forest School, Trawden, and Castercliffe School in Nelson.