SENIOR staff in Bolton are a step ahead when it comes to keeping fit.

Bosses from Bolton Council and Bolton Primary Care Trust (PCT) showed that, despite having desk jobs, they walked more per day than the national average for people doing similar work.

The 10-week pilot study concentrated on senior managers in the town who were issued with a step-o-meter, a small electronic device that counts every step walked. Participants had to wear the step-o-meter for a minimum of three weeks.

It was all part of a campaign aims to raise awareness of the health benefits of regular walking and to promote a healthy workforce.

And, the project showed that bosses in Bolton were fitter than the national average after the study showed an average 11,911 steps walked a day.

A similar national evaluation based on sedentary jobs showed the average steps per day to be between 3,000 and 4,500. Experts say 10,000 is the ideal target.

Director of Public Health for the PCT, Jan Hutchinson, said: "This project was a fun way to highlight the importance of physical activity and it emphasised the fact that you can get useful exercise through everyday activities without expensive equipment or trips to the gym."