PUPILS are being told to hand over fizzy drinks at Preston Lodge High School this month as it introduces Fizz-Free February.

The school has announced a ban on caffeinated and fizzy drinks for the month as part of a health and wellbeing project.

Gavin Clark, headteacher, appealed to parents and carers to support the initiative.

He said: “We are under no illusions that young people will still wish to drink less healthy options but we hope that our Fizz-Free February will reinforce with young people the positive health benefits of making good drink choices.

"We have reason to believe evaluations of this one-month pilot will show that young people’s attitudes towards healthy choices have changed and we will share our findings across the school community when March arrives.”

The ban, which began yesterday (Thursday), sees pupils who bring the drinks into school asked to hand them over and collect them at the end of the day.

Studies have suggested that fizzy drinks can affect the appearance of young people’s skin, cause brittle bones and rot teeth, as well as causing weight gain and affect pupils’ ability to concentrate in class.

The school said the project aimed to help pupils become fitter, healthier and more effective in class, as well as reducing the amount of waste generated from cans and bottles.

Pupils are able to earn e-praise points for bringing re-usable bottles to school and they are being offered alternative drinks including milk-based drinks and flavoured waters.