HAMPSHIRE children who swapped the school run for the school walk have celebrated their contribution to cutting carbon emissions.

Four hundred pupils from 12 schools created a giant mosaic to mark International Walk to School Month.

The number of car journeys made to Hampshire schools has dropped by 20,400 in ten years and the county’s walking rate is 52 per cent, well over the national average of 42 per cent.

Winchester’s St Bede Church of England Primary School won a national Silver Modeshift Stars award after boosting its walk-to-school rate from 60 to 90 per cent in the last five years.

Hampshire transport chief Cllr Seán Woodward, who presented the award, said: “Pupils, parents and teachers at St Bede have worked extremely hard over the years to travel to school without a car. It is encouraging to see increased walking rates, which will not only help tackle local congestion at busy times for residents and businesses in the area, but will also provide safer routes for pedestrians commuting to school.”

Headteacher Louise Fitzpatrick said: St Bede has really enjoyed participating in this project and contributing to the bigger picture in Hampshire. Getting the children to understand the impact of car use on their environment has encouraged them to think about how they travel and paid dividends for our school run."