FAMILIES are being encouraged to leave their cars at home so more pupils walk to school.

More than 140 schools in County Durham will take part in National Walk to School Week, the theme of which is reducing noise pollution.

During the week of activities, five schools will work with Durham County Council's music service and travel plan team to make music using car parts.

Carolyn Norris, deputy head of Durham Music Service, said: "By turning old car parts into percussion instruments, we can demonstrate how much noise a car can cause.

"Of course, in reality vehicles create much more noise than the rhythmic sounds we make, especially during peak times of congestion."

Children will also be encouraged to listen to the sounds of their neighbourhood and distinguish between those they like and dislike.

As well as the junk music, walking buses will be launched, children will test for noise levels and some rural schools will link with children in London to compare what they hear on the journey to school.

Trish Archment, deputy headteacher at Byers Green Primary School, near Spennymoor, said: "We launched a walking bus from the village green to school to promote the environmental and health benefits of walking.

"Our school is on a quiet road with two bad bends, so traffic congestion caused by parents parking can be a real problem.

"Even if they need to come from the villages of Newfield and Binchester by car, they can park safely near the green and join the walking bus there."