THOUSANDS of children have now been taught about road safety, thanks to a council pedestrian training scheme.

A giant birthday cake brought the sweet taste of success to Lancashire County Council and children at St John with St Augustine's School, Accrington, who helped with celebrations to mark the milestone.

Some 20,000 children have now been trained through the Road Safety Group's Right Start programme, which is also celebrating its sixth anniversary.

County councillor Anita Bailey, Road Safety adviser, said: "For pupils and volunteers who have been involved in the group's Right Start pedestrian training programme, it is a double celebration as they are among more than 20,000 children who have taken part since its launch in 1999.

"It is vital that children learn the skills to manage the road environment at an early age.

"To have 20,000 children go through the Right Start training to develop important traffic awareness and pedestrian skills is a real milestone."

Clare Farrer, principal road safety adviser, added: "Every year around 70 people are killed on Lancashire's roads with around 6,000 injuries. Quite simply, it is only by all of us working together that we can reduce the number of tragedies on our roads."

For more information about the pedestrian training programme telephone 0800 328 1653 or log on at www.lancashireroadsafety.co.uk