NORTH-East children have proved that taking food supplements containing fish and plant oils can significantly boost the schoolwork of children.

The results of the world's largest food supplements trial, involving 270 Middlesbrough junior school pupils, were announced during last night's edition of Horizon on BBC2.

Millions of viewers heard Durham educational psychologist Dr Madelaine Portwood explain that the results "exceeded expectations".

Reading and writing skills improved among many of the children taking the supplements. One of the most remarkable changes was the way in which some children's reading age increased by several years.

In one case a particularly bright eight year old was measured as having a reading age of a 14-year-old.

For six months, children at eight Middlesbrough junior schools have been taking six large capsules a day containing eye q, a mixture of high quality fish and evening primrose oil.

Both the specially-selected fish oil and evening primrose oil contain Omega 3 fatty acids, a substance which experts believe is largely missing from modern processed diets.

Experts also think that Omega 3 "long chain" fatty acids can help the human brain work more efficiently by encouraging greater inter-connectivity.

Half the group were given capsules containing eye q, while the rest were given dummies containing a harmless substitute.

By comparing the two groups, researchers were able to come to the following broad conclusions:

* Many of those who were on eye q capsules were found to pay more attention in class.

* The most striking improvement was in reading and writing while there were also measurable improvements in handwriting in the same group.

Only about 40 per cent of the children on active treatment demonstrated any measurable changes, which researchers expected.

The Middlesbrough study was twice the size of the pioneering Durham trial, which involved about 120 six to 12- year-olds with learning difficulties of some kind.

That study, three years ago, showed that measurable improvements in concentration and behaviour in many of the children.

Unlike the Durham trial, the Middlesbrough study involved regular, mainstream children.

Last night's programme featured seven-year-old Harry Murphy, of St Bernadette's Roman Catholic Primary School, Nunthorpe.

Harry's verdict was that the capsules helped him think more - but tasted "yucky" if he bit into them.