A SCHEME that gives safety advice to Sunderland school-children is being extended to pensioners.

The city's Zone Rangers Challenge has given important messages in a fun way to thousands of youngsters.

Today, the scheme will be extended to older people, when the three-day Senior Rangers Challenge is launched at the Leechmere Training Centre, in Sunderland.

The scheme will raise pensioners' awareness of health matters, first aid, fire safety, crime prevention, energy efficiency and consumer issues.

During the two-hour sessions 200 pensioners will take part in interactive challenges set by the agencies involved in the campaign, including Sunderland City Council.

They will also be given an information pack containing vouchers for a smoke alarm, personal attack alarm and a free blanket check.

The city council's senior environmental health officer, Susan Goodchild, said: "Zone Rangers has proved very successful in terms of getting important safety messages across to children in a fun way and we are hoping Senior Rangers will be equally successful.

"Older people are particularly vulnerable, so anything we can do to help them keep themselves safe and well has to be welcomed."