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The Health and Safety Executive (HSE) today announced the winners of the national and regional farm safety poster competition, which attracted thousands of entries.
The competition invited children at rural primary schools throughout England, Scotland and Wales to design a poster highlighting dangers that they may face on the farm. Entries were of a very high standard and choosing a winner was no easy task for the HSE judging panel.
The winning East Midlands entry in the 4 to 7 age category is Kier Hanney, 5, from Monyash Primary School, Bakewell with her safety message ''Watchout! There is danger on a farm.'' The regional winner in the 8 to 11 age category is Adrian Johnson, 11, of Manners Sutton Primary School, Averham, Newark . His poster warns ''Keep away from farmyard - they are dangerous.''
The prize giving which is taking place today at the ''Black Country Living Museum'' in the West Midlands will be attended by the two national winners and 21 regional winners who will all be awarded with book tokens for their school and a personal prize.
The prizes will be awarded by HM Chief Inspector of Agriculture, Linda Williams and Lisa Riley who starred in Emmerdale and is currently presenting ''You''ve Been Framed''.
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Linda Williams, HM Chief Inspector of Agriculture said: "The Health and Safety Executive are working to fulfil the Government''s wider aim of educating school children in risk awareness. We have been overwhelmed by the standard of the posters and feel that the competition has fulfilled its aim in raising awareness of farm safety in children.
"Over the last ten years 44 children have been killed and many more injured on farms in the UK. The terrible human costs of such accidents are of great concern to HSE who aim to prevent all injuries to deaths of children."
Child deaths since 1990 revealed: * Nearly 30 per cent of deaths were attributed to children being carried on tractors. Although it has been illegal since 1957 to carry children under 13 on tractors and most other farm machines, it is still commonplace. * Deaths from drowning in grain pits, unfenced slurry lagoons and reservoirs accounted for 20 per cent. * A further 20 per cent of deaths resulted from falls or falling objects such as unsecured gates or wheels. * Other causes included fires, machinery accidents and electrocution
Note to Editors: PUBLIC ENQUIRIES: Call HSE''s Info Line, tel: 08701 545500, or write to: HSE Information Services, Caerphilly Business Park, Caerphilly, CF83 3GG 1
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