A DERBY businessman is donating 1,000 high-visibility jackets to children for them to wear on their walk home from school.

Michael Brain, of Hannells estate agents, spent hundreds of pounds of his own cash to buy the jackets to give to junior schools in the city. The idea for his "Be safe be seen" venture, which he hopes to roll out across the city, came after he watched pupils walk home from his office window.

He said: "I thought 'what is going to happen when it gets dark?' We need to encourage children to walk but the roads can be dangerous.

"I thought this would be a good way of keeping them safe and I like to do what I can and give something back to the community."

Mr Brain has given the high-visibility jackets to pupils at Lakeside Community Primary School in Alvaston, Chellaston Junior School and Meadow Farm Community Primary in Chaddesden.

He hopes to buy more jackets over the coming months to donate to other schools.

Richard Brown, a school governor at Lakeside, said: "The school is near two very busy roads – London Road and Brighton Road are really dangerous.

"There are crossings but the children do not always use them and the speed limit is 30mph but cars often go faster.

"As the nights draw in it is even more important that the children are seen and stay safe. I think this is a fantastic idea."

Simon Emsley, head teacher at the London Road school, said he thought the scheme was a great idea, and thanked Hannells for its support.

"Most of our children have to cross London Road, which is very busy," he said. "I think it is a great idea as anything that makes the children safer has to be welcomed.

"We won't be giving them to the older children as we don't think they will use them but I think we can encourage enough of the younger ones to wear them."

Earlier this week, Derby City Council launched a campaign highlighting the importance of nursery children being seen when crossing the road.

Lollipop men and women will be handing out smiley face reflectors for youngsters to put on their coats and bags.