A number of agencies across the Bradford district have joined forces to promote the importance of Child Safety Week, which starts on Monday.

The annual educational campaign, led by the Child Accident Prevention Trust, aims to raise awareness of ways in which children can be protected from accidents that kill or seriously injure them every year.

Two days of free activities, organised by Bradford Council's Safeguarding Children Board, will be held to mark the week in addition to events taking place in local children centres.

Michael Jameson, strategic director of children’s services at Bradford Council, said: "Child safety is everyone’s responsibility and there is always more we can do to prevent accidents.

"Child Safety Week provides a great platform for sharing information, resources and practical advice on how we can make life safer for children across the district.”

A range of child safety information and activity stalls will be on display at the Kirkgate Shopping Centre, Bradford, on Tuesday from 10am to 2.30pm.

On Wednesday, a special free 'Be a Safety Hero' fun day will take place at East Riddlesden Hall, Keighley, from 10am to 3.30pm.

Parents, carers, nursery schools and children centres are invited to bring a picnic along, with activities set to feature a be a safety hero trail, a puppet theatre show, games and prizes, face painting, and fire safety and road safety information displays.

West Yorkshire Fire and Rescue Service (WYFRS) will emphasise fire dangers in the home and road safety advice as part of their involvement in the week-long campaign.

Figures show that across the brigade area, eight youngsters under the age of 17 have died in fires over the last five years, and nine as a result of road traffic collisions.

During the same period, a further 270 have been injured in fires, and 205 injured on the roads.

Ian Bitcon, WYFRS area manager for fire safety, said: “We are supporting Child Safety Week in a bid to encourage parents, guardians or carers to think about how they can put simple measures in place to

safeguard children against anything from mishaps to serious harm.

“Young children can be easily burned, sometimes leaving them with lifelong injuries.

“Meanwhile, the roads pose another very real risk for youngsters and even more so teenagers, who can readily be distracted by a mobile phone or music playing device.”

Other agencies involved in Child Safety week across the Bradford district include the council’s road safety team, the ambulance service, the Bradford under-fives association, children and family centres, local NHS teams, the housing team, Bookstart, and the Bradford Families Information Service.

For more information on the campaign, visit childsafetyweek.org.uk.