PUPILS were put through their paces in a major accident and crime prevention programme codenamed Operation Streetwise.

The South Ribble Council scheme involved more than 1,000 ten-year-olds and aims to help children avoid and react to dangerous situations.

Pupils took on challenging tasks based on real-life events. Young Martin Hitchens of St Mary's RC Primary School said he enjoyed the AA's talk on how to use a motorway emergency telephone.

Another lesson learned was not to play in the back of the car while the car is being driven. Lancashire County Council's tests on stopping distances certainly got the children thinking.

Pupil Mark Holmes vowed to keep his bedroom tidier following the home safety talk by South Ribble Council. He said: "We shouldn't leave stuff lying around because it can get broken - and people can trip up."

The Blind Welfare Society tested this out by blindfolding pupils and asking them to grope their way safely through a hazard-filled room.

But the favourite scenario was set up by the county fire brigade who recreated the effects of a youth club blaze. Children crawled out of the smoke-filled room to make a 999 call. Many forgot to bring out the dummy of unfortunate caretaker Mr Green who had supposedly fainted. Amanda Smith said the task was 'good fun and useful'.

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