An organisation set up to help youngsters get a better start in life is to fund the cost of putting up fences around gardens.

The project is one of the first to be launched by the new Keighley Sure Start scheme, which has won £2.26 million of Government funding.

The fences will be erected at the homes of parents who have pre-school-age children.

Olivia Butterworth, who is spearheading the Keighley scheme from a refurbished Guard House First School in Keighley, said: "The need for fencing was identified following local consultation.

"Parents wanted fencing. They said the only safe place for children to play was in the home - they couldn't let them out because there was no fence round the garden.

"What better way to improve the quality of life for these young children then to put a fence around a garden so they can play out?"

She said the fence would be erected around either the front or back garden.

Residents in the Guard House, Highfield and Braith-waite areas will be invited to an open day on Friday, April 6, to see how the scheme will benefit them.

Later in the year a new building is planned for the former Highfield Middle School site, to serve the Highfield area.

The scheme aims to establish a women's centre in the Highfield area too.

She added: "A series of programmes will be set up in partnership with the agencies in the area in response to parental need and we are encouraging parents to become involved."

A Bradford Council spokesman said the scheme would support families through home visits and provide good-quality play and early-learning facilities.

It would provide child-care to allow parents to undertake training or work.

"The scheme is also offering locally-based health services, including a public health midwife, a post-natal support worker, a dietician and a speech therapist," he said.

Councillor David Ward, Bradford Council's executive member for education, said a similar scheme in Barkerend, Bradford, had proved to be very successful.