A SALAD bar and chip-free days are helping to keep Great Sankey High School pupils healthy.

Catering company Scolarest is offering the youngsters food such as pasta with a range of toppings and fruit salads.

And, on chip-free days, foods from other cultures are offered on a meal deal basis to encourage healthy eating and diversity.

Vicky Knight, head of food technology, said: "Our work has been adapted to encourage pupils to eat more healthily.

"This is all based on the Government's Five a Day scheme, which has encouraged them to eat five portions of fruit and vegetables a day."

And Lisa Hirani, healthy schools' co-ordinator, added: "I am delighted that pupils are now drinking water in lessons and generally seeking to look after themselves."

Great Sankey High School is among those that have been awarded official healthy school status.