PUPILS in County Durham will still be able to tuck into free school meals, despite budget cuts.

Children who begin school in September in the 244 primary schools run by Durham County Council will benefit from the two-year trial programme, which is due to end next year.

Last September, the county council’s education authority was chosen as one of three areas nationally to benefit from a pilot giving all chidren a free, healthy meal at lunchtime.

Concerns that the meals scheme – which will cost £16m over two years – would be axed by budget cuts were dismissed by Claire Vasey, cabinet member for children and young people’s services.

“About 90 per cent of all primary school children in the county are now benefiting from a nutritious meal at lunchtime and we would like to take this opportunity to allay fears that this service will stop,” she said.

Previously, only about 5,700 of the authority’s 35,000 under-11s ate free meals.

The aim of the pilot is to provide schoolchildren with a healthy meal every day to improve health, behaviour and school performance.

The evaluation will also examine whether the trials lead to a reduction in obesity and improve eating habits at home.

Rhianna Martin, seven, and Izzy Cullen, six, are pupils at Toft Hill Primary School, near Bishop Auckland, who enjoy their school meals.

Rhianna said: “When I first started school dinners I was scared in case I didn’t like anything, but when I tried them I really liked them.”

Izzy said: “I like the choice and the dinners are tasty.”

Lily Mansfield, eight, is a pupil at Woodham Burn Community Primary School, in Newton Aycliffe. She said: “I really like trying new foods at school.”

Research last month showed that nearly 90 per cent of pupils were taking up the free dinners.

Children due to start reception class in September will automatically be registered for free school meals.

Newham Council, in London, and Wolverhampton were the other two education authorities chosen to take part in the free meal trials.