PEDAL power is here to stay at one school on Teesside.

Ron Lowes, a member of Middlesbrough Council's executive, responsible for transport, yesterday cut the ribbon to open a cycle shelter at Park End Primary School, in the town's Overdale Road.

Week-long training programmes are being offered at the school to coincide with National Bike Week.

"Encouraging children to cycle and helping them do so safely is important to us," said headteacher Sue Gent.

"It's a cheap and enjoyable way for children to get exercise and it teaches them to be independent and improves their self-confidence.

"Cycling to school, after appropriate training, also helps them develop road sense, assess risk and think for themselves.

"We find that pupils who walk or cycle to school are more alert and concentrate better than those who travel by car."

The secure and weatherproof cycle shelter was bought with money the school received when it submitted a travel plan.