PRIMARY school pupils in Ellesmere Port and Neston have been rewarded for a year of spreading road safety messages.

Two pupils of Neston Primary School were crowned junior road safety and watch officers of the year, while pupils of Rossmore Primary in Ellesmere Port received highly commended awards.

Leila Marshall and Emily Wollaston, from Neston, and Olivia McCone and Shannon Ledwards, from Rossmore, worked hard promoting road, community and personal safety messages in their schools and to the wider community for the past year.

Neston Primary headteacher Rob Golding received the JRS&WO shield, with Leila and Emily collecting a personalised shield, certificate and prizes presented by Cheshire West and Chester councillor Lynn Riley and Chief Superintendent Phil Jones of Cheshire Constabulary.

Olivia and Shannon were presented with highly commended certificates and prizes for their outstanding work.

Cllr Lynn Riley, executive member for community and environment, said: “Some 140 primary schools with Year 6 pupils from across West Cheshire take part in the junior road safety and watch officers scheme every year, so that shows some measure of the stiff competition the children faced.

“Both Chief Superintendent Phil Jones and myself would like to congratulate Leila, Emily, Olivia and Shannon on their success, which is the culmination of a very productive year in office by all the children.”

In the past 12 months officers have kept diaries to record how they raised awareness of road, personal and community safety in their schools.

Mr Golding said: “Leila and Emily’s enthusiasm and commitment have been outstanding and the whole school community has benefited. They well deserve their special award for a very active year’s work.”