SCHOOLS in Cumbria clocked up more than 19,000 journeys cycling and scooting to school when their communities supported a national campaign.

More than 50 schools in the county braved snow and rain to take part in the Big Pedal, an annual two-week active travel-to-school scheme which is the UK’s largest inter-school cycling and scooting challenge.

The campaign, which ran from March 20 to 31, encouraged children, parents and staff to leave their cars at home and take to two wheels for journeys to school.

Between them the schools logged a total of 19,525 journeys, beating last year’s figure of 19,054.

Cumbria County Council supports the Big Pedal, which is run nationally by Sustrans, and offered bike and scooter pod prizes to this year’s top-performing Cumbria primary schools.

Judith Aris, the council's active travel officer, said: “Each year more schools in Cumbria sign up to take part in The Big Pedal - everyone loves the event and children, staff and parents are really committed. They’ve cycled and scooted in all weathers - the first week of the challenge was rainy and snowy.

"We find that long after the Big Pedal has finished, most children keep on coming to schools on wheels all summer which is great for them and the environment.”

Among the schools in south Cumbria getting involved was Penny Bridge CE Academy. A school spokesman said the scheme was a "great success", with pupils, staff and parents all getting involved. The school community has said it will certainly be taking part again.

Also involved in south Cumbria were: Cambridge Primary School, Yarlside Academy, Vickerstown School, Greengate Junior School, Victoria Academy, Dalton St Marys CE School, Chapel Street Infants and Nursery School, Dalton, Coniston CE Primary School, Burlington CE School, Cartmel CE Primary School, Grasmere CE Primary School, Langdale CE School and St Mary's Catholic Primary School. John Ruskin School also took part.

The category winners were: Plumbland CE Primary School, near Wigton (small primary), Milburn Primary School (small class primary) and Ewanrigg Junior School, Maryport (large primary). Solway Community College, Silloth, was the leading secondary school in Cumbria, winning a trip to the National Cycling Centre in Manchester next month.

Plumbland, Milburn and Solway also came top of the North West of England school rankings in each of their respective categories.