CHILDREN out West have been learning to use the internet safely.

The Maryport Extended Schools Partnership held a safer internet day for year five and six pupils. Children from Maryport's three primary schools, Maryport C of E Junior, Our Lady & St Patrick's Catholic Primary and Ewanrigg Junior School were joinged by pupils from Richmond Hill in Aspatria, and Flimby, Dearham, Broughton Moor and Crosscanonby St John's schools.

The event, which was run to mark a national safer internet campaign, included a talk put together by the partnership and presented by PCSOs Jonathon Hanna and Nicola McMinn supported by Lindsey Irving the Children's Officer for West Cumbria. There was also a video and interactive participation.

The aim was to help children think about the dangers of some online activities and a look at social media and the importance of age restrictions on well known sites such as Facebook and Instagram.

"Although we know that children have heard a lot of this before, it is still an issue and gentle reminders like this are very important. Having the support from the PCSOs in the delivery has been really helpful and being able to use the Wave as a venue for the large group sizes is invaluable," extended partnership coordinator Nicola Woolley said.

The talks were attended by almost 400 children and each children took a postcard sized flyer home with them to remind them about staying safe and the minimum ages for social media.

The feedback from the local schools was very positive, with some schools sharing the video and pictures of the flyer on their own facebook pages for parents