A SERIES of city-wide events has kicked off in Worcester aimed at increasing awareness among schoolchildren about how they can dodge' every day dangers.

Around 780 children from 17 schools, including two special schools, are involved in the project, which is aimed particularly at pupils aged 10 to 11 years.

The week-long event has been organised by a multi-agency team from Worcester City Council, Worcestershire County Council, Road Safety Team, West Mercia Police, Severn Area Rescue Association, Worcester Play Council and Youth Works Worcester.

Allan Poyner, community worker with Worcester City Council and project chairman, said: "The event is very much in demand for Year 6 children and building on the success of previous years, it continues to be offered to targeted schools within the city. The aim is to teach them in an inter-active way, how to deal with dangers they may face in their everyday lives - through avoidable accidents in the home or in the community and to reduce the number of child victims of crime.

"The children take part enthusiastically in exercises to drive home the safety messages by staging a variety of real-life scenarios and encouraging children to stop and think about the correct and safest course of action to take."

All pupils attending the sessions received a pack of information for further discussion and follow up at school.