CHILDREN at four primary schools have teamed up to ask adults not to smoke near school gates.

The youngsters at St Andrew's, Beamont, both in Orford, St Oswald's in Padgate and Glazebury Primary schools have joined forces to back a new Smoke Free School Gates initiative which will bring in a voluntary ban.

Launched by LiveWire and Warrington Borough Council it aimed to protect pupils from second-hand smoke at the start and end of the school day and reduce the chances of them taking up smoking in later life.

The children at the four schools have designed posters and wrote poems or raps to discourage their parents, carers or guardians from smoking near school.

Ruth Armstrong, stop smoking advisor at LiveWire, said: “The pupils at the schools were incredibly knowledgeable and showed a real interest in learning more about the dangers of smoking at the school gates.

“By participating, they have demonstrated a commitment to smoke free school gates and by doing so, are reducing infant smoking-related illnesses like Asthma, glue ear, throat and eye infections and irritations, as well as tackling long term health impacts.”

The council and LiveWire now plan to roll out the scheme to children’s centres across Warrington.

Cllr Maureen McLaughlin, executive member for public health and wellbeing, said: “Research has found that children exposed to smoking are significantly more likely to start smoking themselves.

“We know from opinion polls that public support for smoke free spaces is high, especially around children.

“Warrington’s tobacco control ambitions aim to develop further smoke free policies that will protect young people from the harmful effects of second-hand smoke, and the influence of seeing adults smoke.”

The campaign encourages schools to implement a voluntary ban coupled with signage and a public awareness campaign and advisors from LiveWire’s stop smoking team also delivered sessions to the children to show them the impact of passive smoking.