SCHOOLS have welcomed a £200,000 cash injection to ensure children get a free breakfast before lessons after it was revealed that one in five children in Bolton were missing "the most improtant meal of the day".

Helen McGrath, headteacher of Holy Infants and St Anthony’s RC in Astley Bridge, said breakfast clubs would impact on learning in the classroom and help end children skipping the most important meal of the day.

She said: "Holy Infant and St Anthony R C Primary School are delighted and thrilled to benefit from the new breakfast provision funding offered by Bolton Council.

"We all know that breakfast is the most important meal of the day — especially for very young children who may not have eaten since their evening meal. This funding will make a real difference to some very deserving children and families in the Astley Bridge area.

"This healthy breakfast will ensure that they are ready to learn as soon as the bell rings.

"We also foresee an improvement in attendance and punctuality as a result of this initiative."

Around £200,000 will be spent on either starting up or expanding breakfast clubs in Bolton primary schools.

The money will be distributed as part of a scheme to ensure children are getting a nutritious start to the day.

So far, 27 primary schools have had their applications for funding approved and grants allocated will range from £2,500 to develop an existing breakfast club in school, to £20,000 to expand, provide appropriate equipment and cover staffing costs to launch a new club in some schools.

Some schools had submitted applications for as little as £1,000 but Cllr Linda Thomas, deputy leader, said that would be raised to £2,500.

She said: "A survey of young people in the borough revealed that almost 20 per cent of pupils were starting the school day having had nothing to eat or drink.

"Having a healthy breakfast is important but can often be missed out of a busy family’s schedule.

"This scheme will mean that hundreds of school children are guaranteed a nutritious and free breakfast on arrival at school, to set them up for the day ahead. We will be writing to schools again to ensure that every school that wishes to take advantage of the scheme can do so."