CHILDREN should be encouraged to play in office car parks outside office hours, the Government’s health advisory body has recommended.

The advice, aimed at promoting physical activity among young people, is part of new draft guidelines drawn up by the National Institute for health and Clinical Excellence (Nice).

The use of non-traditional settings for physical activity is encouraged, as well as more conventional ideas such as getting children to walk, cycle and swim more.

But the office car parks idea has met with opposition from the Confederation of British Industry.

John Cridland, CBI deputy director-general, said: “The CBI fully supports the idea of helping children participate in exercise. But a company car park is not a substitute for proper facilities.”