HUNDREDS of Wear Valley children are dancing their way to fitness through a project launched by the new charitable trust running a former council leisure centre.

Schools are hiring electronic dance mats from the Spectrum Leisure and Management (Slam) trust, in Willington.

The mats give a read-out of the children's performance and are made by specialist youth gym equipment manufacturer Shokk.

The first group to try them out this week were 180 pupils from Willington Church of England Primary School, who were led by coaches from Slam Cats, the trust's community arm.

Headteacher Bill Guymer said: "Fitness and healthy eating is a big part of what we do, especially with the current obesity problem among children, which is a big issue.

"We already do dance as part of the curriculum and the mats were a really fun thing for the children to do, because it gave them a chance to express themselves physically. The fact that they are electronic mats is absolutely fabulous.

"We do lots of things on the health and fitness side and things like using the dance mats are a great opportunity."

A number of other schools have already booked the mats and Slam Cats hopes to extend the project to other schools and organisations.

Project manager Kevin Peart, who is also one of the instructors, said: "This really is an excellent way for children to become involved in fitness.

"However, there is a more serious message behind the fun and that is that we are getting these children involved in fitness at an early age."

Anyone wishing to hire the mats can contact the Spectrum Leisure Centre on 01388-747000.