SAFETY messages may be serious but they can still be delivered in a fun way — just ask the youngsters at St Thomas CE Chequerbent Primary.

The Parents, Teachers and Friends Association (PTFA) organised a Saturday fair at which children learned to put safety first.

Firefighters and St John's Ambulance joined Bolton Council's road safety officer and volunteer groups at the fair to spread safety messages.

Children also had a chance to try their hand on the climbing wall and have fun on the bouncy castle.

Linsey Knowles, chairwoman of the PTFA, said: "We organised the event after a parent approached use to see if we could do more to reinforce how to stay safe on the roads with children because we don't have a parent and child school sign outside school.

"It just snowballed from there and this is the first time we have had a fair like this, to which we invited children from other schools to attend."

During the day the children were also taught to use a defibrillator and given CPR lessons by the scouts.

They were also taught some self-defence moves from martial art experts and about Stranger Danger.

Mrs Knowles said: "The event took a few months to organise by a team including Chris Booth, Pam Molyneux and Caroline Smith.

“We have had positive feedback from the event, and children were talking about it on Monday morning.

“I do think messages children learn at this age stay with them.

”A big thank you goes to the volunteers and the services who attended.”

The plan now is to make this an annual event for Westhoughton, with different schools hosting it on a rolling basis.