THE school run today became much more fun for children at Rawthorpe Junior School.

A bright yellow bus, driven by Caroline Wood, is collecting them and taking them to school every day.

The Government-funded American-style bus has been provided by Metro in association with Kirklees Council.

Today was the first time the bus, which is fitted with seatbelts for every child, was in use in Kirklees.

The service is being piloted for children at both Rawthorpe Junior and Infant Schools.

If successful it could be extended beyond a year and rolled out to other schools in Kirklees.

Among the first children to take a ride on the bus were brother and sister Chelsea and Joshua Butterfield.

Their mum, Sam Butterfield, added: "It's a godsend. It normally takes me half an hour to walk them to school."

She joined her children today as it was Chelsea's first day at junior school.

Clr David Payne, Kirklees Council Cabinet member with transport responsibility , said the main feature was that it was just for children and their parents, not an ordinary service bus.

He said: "The bus will be driven by the same driver every day so that children get used to the her and vice versa. It's a safe environment and parents can feel confident about letting their children go to school alone."

Community worker Lynda Riley said: "Historically there's always been a problem at the schools because the catchment area includes the area around the former Huddersfield Town football ground and children have to walk up the narrow and unpleasant Bradley Mills Road."