PARENTS can shelter from the elements while they wait to collect their children, thanks to a new scheme at a Darlington school.

A parent shelter has been installed at Dodmire Junior School, providing somewhere for mums and dads, who walk with pupils, to wait at the end of the school day.

Parents were asked what facilities would encourage them to use more environmentally-friendly transport to make the school run and they voted for the shelter.

Other options considered included extra cycle storage for families who wanted to cycle to school together.

Chris McEwan, the borough council's cabinet member for children's services, said: "Walking to school every day is a great way for families to stay active and healthy and is also good for the environment.

"This shelter will make the idea of walking to and from school more attractive to parents as they will have somewhere dry to wait for their children.

"I hope pupils and parents enjoy using the new shelter and get many benefits from leaving the cars at home."

The school recently received funding for establishing a travel plan and the shelter was installed using some of that cash.