SMART new changes are being brought in to Bury's school meals service.

Staff will no longer wear white hats, aprons and skirts but colour co-ordinated smocks, shirts and trousers, topped off with baseball caps.

In a second new move, pupils at Philips High School in Whitefield and Broad Oak High in Bury will be the first to try out "smart cards" to pay for their meals, and a new menu.

Councillor Steve Treadgold, executive member for best value and competitiveness, said school meals were far different than they used to be.

"Meals are now the kind you can buy in any high street, although the emphasis on good, healthy and nutritional fare has not been lost," he said.

"We have been upgrading dining areas in schools and we felt the time had come to take that process a step further with newer and brighter attire for our staff.

"The introduction of smart cards and a cashless system is also something we thought worth investigating and we feel confident it will prove to be a big hit."