YOUNGSTERS at a Swindon primary school joined thousands of schools across the country to take part in the national initiative Walk to Live.

Almost 400 pupils at Robert Le Kyng School in Even Swindon, marched around the school grounds yesterday to raise money for charity and to launch Walk to School Week, which gets under way on Monday.

And the school's deputy head, Barbara Jose, said the children's 15-minute walk was the perfect way to promote next week's campaign.

"We have taken part in initiatives like this before, but we saw the Walk to Live initiative on the internet and we thought it would be a good way to promote Walk to School Week," she said.

"We raised £150 for Prospect through donations just by walking in a follow-the-lead snake around the school grounds.

"Walk to School Week is something we are very keen to promote because we really do need to reduce the traffic around the school.

"We are in a really difficult place in the town for parking and by encouraging parents to walk to school it will really help health and safety."

Walk to School Week is being launched by Swindon Council's Road Safety and Travel Awareness team and has been running in the town since 1994. The scheme is designed to encourage parents and pupils to incorporate physical activity into their daily routine.

The council has written to all parents encouraging them to find a safe place to park away from schools and make the last part of their journey on foot. The aim is to ease school gate parking, giving parents and children the exercise that will improve their health and make youngsters more alert in lessons.

So far, 41 out of 67 primary schools have signed up to the initiative ensuring that 1,200 of the town's primary school children will be taking part.