THE health of our children is quite rightly near the top of the national agenda.

Junk food and lack of exercise have been cited as the main factors in a worrying rise in obesity among the young over the past few years.

Encouraging children to leave their computers and get more involved in sport is one way to combat the problem.

But when it comes to diet some argue that children will not turn their backs on unhealthy food because of the power of advertising and the issue must therefore be tackled by putting pressure on those who make and sell it.

Youngsters at Accrington's Peel Park Primary School have disproved that theory.

They are so keen on the government's scheme to provide free bananas, apples and other fruit for classes of five to seven-year-olds that they have written to Greg Pope asking for it to be extended to eight to 11-year-olds.

Now the Hyndburn MP is asking ministers to back the pupils' plea "to encourage them to eat more healthily."

In their letter the youngsters point out that teachers have reported that Key Stage 1 pupils who have had fruit for a year are "more alert" and find it easier to work and concentrate.

The comparatively simple scheme should be extended because quite obviously it is bearing fruit.