A Malton opticians is helping to keep children safe during the winter months by donating hi-vis vests.

Specsavers Malton handed over 50 hi-vis vests to pupils at Thornton Dale Primary School during its firework extravaganza earlier this month.

While handing out the vests, the optical team took their time to chat with parents and children about the importance of firework safety, from staying far away from bonfires to protect their eyes, wearing ear protection, how to handle sparklers, and to always follow adult supervision.

By providing these bright vests, Specsavers Malton aims to help keep the pupils safe and make sure they are visible to drivers during their walks to and from school, especially as the days get darker and with Road Safety Week (17 – 23 November) taking place this month.

Alice Lishman, teacher at Thornton Dale Primary School, said: "We are incredibly grateful to the team at Specsavers Malton for generously providing our pupils with hi-vis vests, which will be invaluable as the nights grow darker.

"Parents and children alike were thrilled to receive them, and the timing couldn’t have been better with our Firework Extravaganza taking place. The vests not only enhanced the children’s visibility during the event, making it a safer and more memorable experience for everyone, but they also helped reinforce the important firework safety tips shared by the team which helped our children understand why being visible is important, providing everyone with peace of mind.

"The vests will continue to be used throughout the school year, whether it’s on village walks or school trips, ensuring our pupils are always seen and safe."

Rachel Patience, assistant manager at Specsavers Malton, said: "We were delighted to support Thornton Dale Primary School’s fantastic firework extravaganza and thank them for allowing us to join in with the wonderful evening.

"It was great to chat with parents about the importance of firework and road safety, especially at this time of year when the days are getting shorter and darker. We hope the hi-vis vests will help keep the kids safe and visible as they go to and from school this winter."

For more details on eye tests, and the full range of eye health and hearing care services, including OCT scans available at Specsavers Malton, head to: https://www.specsavers.co.uk/stores/malton or call on: 01653 692 784.