FIREFIGHTERS have paid tribute to pupils from Little Bollington Primary School for the children’s unique help with road safety in the village.

The pupils have been part of a remarkable new road safety initiative, whereby drivers who break the law are quizzed by a jury of children at driver engagement days.

Traditionally, these driver engagement days, which are attended by drivers who have committed offences including speeding, using mobile phones, and not wearing seatbelts, take the form of a road safety educational presentation.

However, in Little Bollington, the initiative has been taken a step further. As well as attending the presentation, drivers are put in front of a jury of primary school pupils from years five and six, and subjected to some harrowing questions relating to their actions potentially resulting in the injury or death of a child.

Fire Service personnel and Cheshire East Councillor Bill Livesley recently visited the school to surprise pupils who were being given a road safety presentation by Fire Service advocates.

In a double celebration, the school was presented with a bronze firefighter statue and a framed certificate in recognition of the schools support for road safety.

Presenting the awards was Cheshire's Assistant Chief Fire Officer Richard Ost, who said: "I'm delighted to present these awards to the children and staff at Little Bollington.

"This is innovative work that the fire service is involved in, working with partners in a multi-agency framework to reduce casualties. The fundamental issue is to educate people about the dangers on the road by utilising the skills of our firefighters and community safety staff.

"By working with young people we are not only educating the road users of tomorrow but also showing the road users of today what the implications of their actions might be."