A CAN man is helping get a green message to the people of Durham.

The tin can man, who has not yet been named, was built by staff at Durham City Council as part of a travelling display designed to hammer home the message of recycling.

The exhibition also promotes healthy living and attempts to persuade visiting schoolchildren to try lettuce, carrots and other healthy foods and give chips and chocolate a miss.

"It's going down really well and the kids seem to enjoy it," said the council's leisure services manager, Nigel Dodds. "We've also got some fantastic prizes in competitions we are running, including mountain bikes and shopping vouchers."

Other council services available will also be promoted on Fridays and Saturdays in the next four weeks.

The travelling exhibition will be at Meadowfield Leisure Centre this weekend and at following weekends at Sherburn Leisure Centre, Deerness Leisure Centre and Durham City Town Hall. The exhibition was held at Coxhoe last weekend and Abbey Leisure Centre, at Newton Hall, the week previously.