PUPILS in Blackburn are set to benefit from a £30,000 Government grant to make walking to school safer.

The town is one of 10 local authorities in the North West to receive a share of a £3 million initiative to provide road safety schemes for young pedestrians.

The money will go to pay for local child pedestrian co-ordinators, who will train and support parent volunteers to educate youngsters in key road safety skills at the roadside, rather than in the classroom.

Schools set to benefit are Audley County Infants School, Shadsworth Infants School, St Antony's RC Primary School, Cross Hill Primary School, Longshaw Infants School, Our Lady of Perpetual Succour RC Primary School, Roman Road Community Primary School, Cedar Infants School, St James's CE Primary School and Brookhouse County Primary School. Head teacher at Longshaw Infants Dot Orgill, said: "We are delighted to be included in the scheme.

"Anything that can help pedestrian safety can only be a good thing. This area is quite bad for road accidents involving children, so we are very keen to be involved."

To launch the scheme in the area, Blackburn road safety officer Clare Sackfield, will visit Audley County Infant School today to meet some of the pupils who will benefit.