CHILDREN and parents cycled to a Darlington school yesterday to celebrate the opening of the largest bike shelter in the borough.

The 200-space shelter at Hummersknott School and Language College was funded by Darlington Borough Council.

The school was one of six in the borough to get Government funding earlier this year to make its travel plan a reality.

The shelter will be looked after by bike monitors - pupils who will make sure that only those with permits are using it and that it is being used responsibly.

Hummersknott School is now part of the Bike IT project Run by Sustrans, the sustainable transport charity, because of its enthusiasm in promoting cycling over the past year.

The school also offers advanced cycle training to pupils run by the council's road safety team.

Nick Wallis, the council's cabinet member for highways and transport, who attended the launch, said: "The school has done a lot to promote cycling and now there is somewhere safe for bikes to be left I hope more and more young people will get on their bikes.

"Cycling is not only good for our health but also the environment. It is important that young people get interested in cycling and hopefully they will continue when they leave school."