Collier Row students cycle their way to a healthy snack

Students at a Collier Row school mixed up delicious fruity treats last week as part of campaign aimed at getting them on their bikes.

A smoothie bike was set up in the hall of St Patrick’s Catholic Primary School, in Lowshoe Lane, as part of The Big Pedal campaign.

The Big Pedal is a nationwide event aimed at increasing the number of students cycling or scooting to their lessons by asking schools across the country to compete against each other to be the most active.

Year 1 teacher Elizabeth Buckle said: “The response from the students has been really positive. We have had a lot more bikes and scooters in. We had 98 on Friday – we normally have 10 to 15 on a regular day.”

The smoothie bike event was aimed at encouraging more pupils to join the effort and push the school up the national leaderboard.

Students aged between four and 11 cycled hard to power a blender attached to the back of the bike and whip up delicious strawberry, banana and apple smoothies.

All went well and every child was rewarded with a taste of the finished drink – despite one cyclist eager to dismount sending some of the drink flying across the hall.