Parents in Shirehampton are among the first in the country to be signed up to a new campaign to encourage their children to take more exercise.

It's all part of the nationwide Change4Life movement that is spearheaded by the NHS.

A study has found that significant numbers of children do not do enough exercise and face obesity and poor health as adults as a result.

This has led to a programme being drawn up by the Chartered Society of Physiotherapy and the British Dietetic Association for healthy school days, at which experts visit schools to provide advice to parents and teachers.

Avon Primary School in Shirehampton was chosen to launch the campaign in the West.

Lucy Stein, from the school, said: "We are very happy to be involved with this event and have enjoyed taking part in the activities."

The survey showed that at least a third of children in the UK don't do enough regular physical activity and about a third are overweight or obese.

Researchers found that while parents think their children get two and a half hours' exercise a day, it was more like 30 minutes.

The campaign is encouraging parents to ensure that their children are physically active for at least an hour a day, and they can do this by breaking down their activities into shorter periods of 10-15 minutes at a time.

Physiotherapist Liz Cavan said: "Don't just use the park for a picnic, do something active, too, like throwing a frisbee, flying a kite, or kicking a ball around. Planned exercise like swimming at your local pool can also be a fun thing to do.

"The government is supporting a range of initiatives to help families fit in more exercise, so parents should check their local authority website to find out what's available in their area and see what's free to enjoy."