CONCERNS that many children's car seats are not fitted safely has prompted car experts to offer talks to parents.

Staff at Discount Auto Parts, in Gilesgate, Durham, travelled to Andover, near Southampton, for a training course on how to check that child seats are properly installed.

As a result, they recently gave a talk to 15 mothers at a mother and baby group at St Andrew's Medical Practice, in Spennymoor, south Durham.

They found that four of them had car seats which were unsafe.

Now the team is looking to give talks to other organisations.

George Clarke, head of the company, said: "It's every parent and grandparent's worst nightmare that a child might be injured unnecessarily, simply because the car seat isn't fitted properly."

The company is advising parents to check that car seats will fit their car before they buy them, that seatbelts are long enough to secure rear-facing child seats, and that the seat is suitable for their child's weight.

Durham County Council's senior road safety officer, Alan Kennedy, said: "This service very much fits in with our strategy for child casualty reduction."

Discount Auto Parts, in Sunderland Road, is offering a free car seat-fitting service by appointment.

Any groups wanting staff to give a talk, should ring (01325) 286878.