COUNCIL chiefs are encouraging youngsters to eat up healthier meals despite numbers requesting the new food option dropping in some schools.

Warrington Borough Council is serving up healthier options to children at school but have seen the amount of pupils requesting school meals dropping in some educational establishments including St Oswald's Catholic Primary School in Padgate.

The school has been trying to encourage more people to sign up for the healthy options by asking parents who would like more information to get in touch with the head teacher, Helen Lennon.

But both the council and schools across the borough remain confident that once the meal changes are properly up and running in September more and more kids will convert to a healthier way of eating.

Gordon Carson, the council's catering services manager, said: "Although we did brace ourselves for a slight fall in the uptake of school meals as a result of these healthier changes, the overall picture we are getting is that uptake is very positive."

Helen Lennon, head teacher of St Oswald's, said: "We are very positive about these new menus. The meals are great and they really are top quality for our children. In fact, most of our staff are enjoying school meals every day now!"