UP to £6m in Government cash could be on the menu for Darlington schools - if more pupils register for free meals.

At present, just over 19 per cent of the borough's 16,000 pupils take school meals.

But if the figure was to reach 24 per cent - another 800 pupils - the borough council could receive additional Government funds.

Last year, the authority began a campaign to encourage parents to register their children as eligible for free school meals. About 500 more youngsters signed up, but the council wants more to register.

Council cabinet member for education Stephen Harker said: "There are many families out there who are entitled to free school meals who are not claiming them. The potential benefit of increasing the number of pupils receiving free school meals could be extra funding for schools, but more important for local families is the fact that they could make considerable savings on school meals."

For further information, parents can contact the education department at the town hall on (01325) 388810.