Wirral school children have been learning about the benefits of healthy eating and exercise as part of a project to tackle childhood obesity.

Millfields C of E Primary School, Eastham, hosted a "Takeaway for a Change’" workshop led by Wirral Council’s environmental health team with healthy cookery classes for children and parents, free food tastings and information and guidance.

Takeaway for a Change aims to tackle unhealthy diets and inactivity by improving the nutritional value of traditional fast-food like pizzas, kebabs and burgers.

In the run-up to the event, pupils from all year groups had taken part in the preparations with nursery and reception classes making fruit salads and sandwiches.

Wirral Globe:

A healthy pizza prepared at the school

Other year groups prepared smoothies, fresh bread rolls, sweet and sour chicken and vegetable soup. At the same time children learned skills like chopping and cutting, hand-washing and hygiene.

Councillor Chris Jones, cabinet member for adult care and public health, said: "Developing good habits and food preparation skills early in life is an important element of a child’s education.

"With childhood obesity such a nationally significant issue, we are focusing our efforts on ensuring that the younger generation can make good choices around diet and exercise which will enable them to live longer, happier lives."

The British Heart Foundation has estimated  around 1,210 children in Wirral leave primary school obese or overweight – 34% of the total.

The day of events is part of the "Healthy Wirral" project, a partnership between local authority, NHS and GPs which aims to transform the way health and wellbeing services are provided.

More events are planned for other schools in the coming months.