BUGS are not something you would normally encourage your children to eat, but Nestl is hoping they will be the latest disgusting craze to hit the sweet shelves.

Rowntree's Bursting Bugs are the latest confectionery to come out of the York-based sweets firm.

There are five different bug-shaped gums in bright colours and all with a blood red liquid centre - or as the pack puts it "squishable bugs with gory guts".

The sweets, on sale from today, cost 29p and are aimed at children between eight and ten years old.

Nestl is spending five million pounds on advertising the new sweets and hopes their success will match that of the ever-popular KitKat Chunky.

To get the verdict of the all-important target market, we visited Haxby Road Primary School in York, where children from teacher Lorraine Atkinson's class conducted an Evening Press taste test.

They liked the design of the packets, the creepy-crawly shapes of the sweets - which include snails, beetles and woodlice - the fruity taste and, most of all, the red syrupy centre.

Stacey Phillips, ten, said: "I like the centre - it's like the raspberry sauce you get on ice cream."

And her friend, Emma Darley, ten, said: "They're interesting!"

Jason Harding, ten, said: "They're gory and bloody - I like the beetle and the spider best."

And Jamie Kelly, ten, said: "They've got all lines on like insects."

Daniel Holland, ten, said: "I like the bug on the packet that's been squashed."

And Nicola Nacey, ten, said: "I'd give them ten out of ten. They're fruity and really good."

Teacher Miss Atkinson gave the sweets top marks too.

"They'll be great for team point sweets to give out at the end of the week," she said.

Would the children buy them? A roomful of hands went up - Nestl looks like it's on to a winner with this one.

Another taste sensation to join the shelves is the limited edition cola-flavoured Smarties with red and brown Smarties replacing the traditional colours.