Pupils at Hagbourne Primary School, near Didcot, turned up in a new school 'bus' - with no seats, wheels or engine.

The 'bus' It was the sixth 'Walking Bus' to be launched in Oxfordshire and involved parents walking their children to school picking up pupils en route.

Thirty-five pupils aged between five and ten took part on the first day. Half of the pupils started the half-hour walk a mile away at Fleet Meadow Community Hall.

Co-ordinator and father-of-two Mark Sutherland, pictured with wife Pam Sutherland and their 'passengers', said: "Walking helps children get fresh air, exercise and helps them gain road safety skills."

The scheme was drawn up to encourage families to reduce their use of the car.