STAYING safe was high on the agenda for young people in Bury as a series of new Crucial Crews were launched.

The crews aim to help educate youngsters on safety matters and ensure that children get involved in learning by doing.

Mayor of Bury, Coucillor Barry Briggs, along with Bolton Mayor, Councillor Prentice Howarth, helped to launch the new group at the new location of the Greater Manchester Transport Executive Exchange at The Haymarket in Bury.

The scheme was set up to make children aware of dangers and hazards that occur in everyday life. The advantage of the scheme is that children learn from their interaction and follow the motto: "Tell me and I might forget, show me and I might remember, let me do it and I will understand."

The Crucial Crew consists of around eight agencies who jointly put together an interactive and fun safety event for children aged between nine and 11.

The topics that are covered by the scheme include fire safety, safety on the railway, anti-social behaviour on buses and drugs misuse.

Coucillor Mike Connolly, Bury spokesman for Greater Manchester Passenger Transport Authority, said: "I am delighted that GMPTE has been able to provide accommodation for the Crucial Crew at Bury Interchange. Today's youth are tomorrow's bus passengers and our officers at GMPTE have been actively involved in the programme to educate children."