FIFTY children in Kent and Medway will be presented with an extra reward for passing their Gold Road Safety Skill Test this term.

Exelite is to present the youngsters, all in their final two years of primary school, with an illuminated sash called LumiStrips, that have a cool blue light that remains constant or can flash.

These are powered by rechargeable batteries and would normally retail for £35 each but Exelite has agreed to provide a one-off stock of the LumiStrips to enable the first batch of children passing their Gold Road Safety Skill Test to receive an extra reward.

All children passing the badge receive a special blue CREW tabard, certificate and Gold textile badge to stitch to their tabard.

The aim is that once these children start to travel independently, particularly at secondary school the cool blue LumiStrips will add to their visibility and keep them safe.

Simon Dolby, Walking Bus chairman, has been road testing a LumiStrip while on his bicycle and found them extremely effective. He said: "I set the LumiStrip to flash mode and found it made drivers notice me much faster than normal when I cycled without it. This will be an asset to walkers and cyclists alike."

For information on the Walking Bus Project go to: www.kentwalkingbus.org