A FREE exercise and diet programme to help overweight children manage their size is due to start tomorrowTues.o The Mind Exercise Nutrition Do it! programme (Mend) will hold healthy lifestyle courses for overweight seven- to 13-year-olds and their families at St Gregory the Great Catholic School from this week.

Last week, the Oxford Mail revealed that parents of primary school children would receive so-called "fat reports" if their child was overweight in a bid by Oxfordshire Primary Care Trust to drive down obesity figures in the county.

Now the Oxfordshire PCT has teamed up with Oxford Active and the Big Lottery Fund to offer the free ten-week course to 12 families on a first-come-first-served basis.

The Mend programme was trialled at King Alfred's School in Wantage earlier this year.

It was so successful that the school — a specialist sports college — wants to continue with the course this term. Carolyn Murphycorr, partnership development manager at the school, said: "The main emphasis was to encourage people to be more active and was not necessarily focused on weight loss.

"Although many people did lose weight, the scheme showed how it was more important to live healthy, active lifestyles.

Programme leaders said the 10-week course would combine information about healthy eating and a balanced diet with fun activities and exercise for the whole family to get involved in.

Last week, Erica Cowleycorr and her 13-year-old daughter Jocorr, who have been attending Slimming World classes together for the past two years, welcomed the efforts by the PCT to tackle the obesity timebomb.

But Mrs Cowley warned against the effect that weighing children in school could have on their emotional health and said the problem would have to be approached in a sensitive way.

Donna Husbandcorr, the Mend programme manager at Oxfordshire PCT, said: "The Mend Programme can really change families' lives.

"We offer a friendly and relaxed atmosphere to encourage children to have a go at new things and show parents how they can be supportive and involve the whole family in making healthier choices and following an active lifestyle.

"Children become healthier and fitter while their self-esteem and confidence increase gently.

"We very much hope families will take up the chance to improve their health with this fantastic free course."

The two-hour sessions will run at St Gregory the Great Catholic School in Cricket Road on Tuesdays and Fridays from 4.15pm to 6.15pm for the next 10 weeks.