Children in Bradford are suffering back pain because they do not take enough exercise and cram their bags too full.

Now a physiotherapist is visiting local schools to teach pupils as young as 11 how to avoid the danger of back pain.

Joanne Campion, 30, is to co-ordinate the Airedale Backare for Children Programme and feels her role in making pupils sit up and take note of good posture is vitally important for their future.

She aims to help cut the rising number of teenagers who have damaged spines.

"Back pain is getting more of a problem in children. Our lifestyle is less active because there is more sitting in cars and watching television using the remote control to change channels," she said.

"Research from Backcare indicates 50 per cent of 14 year olds already experience some form of back pain. But the highest risk group is 11 to 12-year-olds," she said.

"By going to speak to 11-year-olds we are trying to show them good back care practice so they get into good habits."

Joanne, who usually works at the Airedale Sports Injury and Physiotherapy Clinic, will have a partner on her schools tour - her model skeleton, called Skelly T.

"We show them how to carry their bags and how to limit what weight they have in their bags. We get them to take out books they don't need that day - which in some cases has been seven extra books.

"They do group work and design things, like car seats and bags, to try to get them to put into practice new found understanding of good back care."

Around 80 per cent of pupils she meets are carrying too much equipment in their bags.

The programme, funded by the Health Action Zone, arrives at Bingley Grammar School on Tuesday.