Over 470,000 children have taken part in a national competition launched 14 years ago that encourages them to stay safe on the roads.

Schoolchildren are spreading the message about the importance of wearing seatbelts and being visible on roads at night, and some of the best campaigns were rewarded yesterday.

Many of them have never even jogged for fun — but now a group of teachers from a rural West Cork primary school are lacing up their running shoes to help pay for new classrooms.

For the first time the Naval Service has promoted women to the rank of petty officer, a position acknowledged as the backbone of the service.