YOUNG east Durham pupils helped notch up a world record when they took part in the first Tesco Great School Run.

Children aged between seven and eleven at Shotton Primary School were among thousands of other schoolchildren in the country to go under starters orders for a two-kilometre fun run.

The aim was to encourage children to take part in exercise for fun, and to make physical activity part of everyday life.

It is the first time the event has been staged and more than 110,000 children took part nationwide.

A spokeswoman at Shotton Primary said: "It was a wonderful day and the children enjoyed it hugely.

"They were also delighted to have taken part in a world-record event.''

Nova International organised the run across the country and the communications manager for the firm, David Hart, said:

"The race, together with last month's events in Scotland and Northern Ireland, will see the first Tesco Great School Run go down in the record books as the biggest event of its kind."

He added: "I would personally like to thank all of the kids who took part and made the event such a great success.''