Lessons in good manners are hoped to teach school children the art of saying please and thank you.

Faversham mum-of-three Lauren Pheasant is bringing classes in politeness, etiquette and respect to the area after becoming fed up with a lack of good values in today's youth.

The South African, who moved to The Street in Oare 10-years-ago, feels many parents don't have the time or desire to teach common courtesy or traditional values to their little ones, which in turn makes it difficult for them to develop social skills.

The 38-year-old, was told about Manners4Minors scheme by a friend.

It was started in her home country five-years-ago and has since been rolled out across a number of countries including New Zealand and Cyprus.

With the help of puppets Rodney Rude and Boastful Betty, Lauren and her team will travel round nurseries and schools to deliver the programme.

Three to seven-years-olds in Faversham and Whitstable will be among the first in Kent and the country to be given the courtesy classes.

Sportmanship and bullying will also be tackled.

Lauren said: "It is becoming more common for both parents to be out at work and for their lives to be hectic, so when they do get time to spend with their children they let the little things slip and that can be where the problems start.

"Therefore if we can teach manners in schools and nurseries it catches all children, reinforcing good habits and catching those with bad.

"Many manners and traditional values have been forgotten so it is time to bring them back and do it in a fun way."

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