New Mayor of Barnet Gill Sargeant tried her hand as a lollipop lady on Monday to help promote National Walk to School week.

Children from 75 schools in the borough are taking part in the event, which aims to promote walking as a healthy, economical and environ- mentally-friendly alternative to cars and buses.

In the borough, 20 per cent of rush hour car journeys are part of the school run, so walking to school would dramatically cut both traffic congestion and pollution.

Activities have this week included 'walking buses' (long lines of pupils walking bus routes), poster competitions and special assemblies. Three teachers from Edgware Junior School, Heming Road, walked six miles to school from their homes in Barnet on Monday morning.