Road safety magic show does the trick for more than 1,000 County Durham school children

Alan Innes, of Allan's Road Safety Magic Show, performs his show to pupils at Shield Row Primary School in Stanley.

Allan's Road Safety Magic Show toured 10 of the county's primary schools in one week, performing to audiences of pupils from reception and years 1 and 2.

We commission the shows to relay important road safety messages to local children in an entertaining and interactive way.

Tricks, jokes and catchy songs!

Cllr Elizabeth Scott, our Cabinet member for economy and partnerships, said: "The shows cover a range of topics including stop, look and listen, safer places to cross, and how to use different types of light controlled crossings. There are tricks, jokes and even some catchy songs!

"It's a great way of getting road safety messages across to the children and they get to enjoy a fun and memorable experience along the way. Our hope is that these important lessons will sink in and stick in their minds as they have the potential to save lives.

"We time these shows to run a short time before the clocks go back as they also support our 'Be Bright, Be Seen' message aimed at primary school children."

The 10 schools taking part

The schools that took part in the magic shows this year were:

• Belmont Cheveley Park Primary School, Belmont
• Durham Gilesgate Primary School, Gilesgate
• Benfieldside Primary School, Blackhill
• Ropery Walk Primary School, Seaham
• Stanley Burnside Primary School, Stanley
• South Stanley Infant School, Stanley
• Shield Row Primary School, Stanley
• St Andrew's Primary School, Bishop Auckland
• St Cuthbert's Catholic Primary School, Seaham
• Woodhouse Community Primary School, Bishop Auckland

More than 3,000 pupils from schools across the county have enjoyed the show since the annual tours started in 2019, though there were no tours for two years due to the pandemic.