PULSES were racing as young people took the first steps to healthier hearts and lifestyles on a fun activity day yesterday.

The 170 children across seven age groups took part in the Healthy Hearts events at Sherburn Village Primary School, near Durham.

They were put through their paces with 14 aerobic activities, and they were told of the benefits of drinking water to hydrate the body.

Headteacher Teresa Leggett said Healthy Hearts has become an annual event, and she hopes it will provide a lasting benefit to the children.

"It's based around exercise, but there was also the opportunity to let the children know of the benefits of drinking water.

"All the activities provide valuable aerobic exercise to get the heart working effectively.

"It involved them doing squat jumps, skipping, walking on stilts and various other things to get the heart pumping. It's designed to get the children to see the link between exercise and good health."

She said the message about hydration is backed up by the ready availability of cold-filtered water from a machine in the school dining hall.

She thanked PE co-ordinator Sam Hall for her efforts organising the day.