The biggest campaign in the history of the Somerset County Gazette is about to take to the road.

Its £120,000 Stop It Before It Starts campaign will lift off in the New Year to educate primary school children about the dangers of drugs and alcohol.

The project is being run in conjunction with charity Life Education Centres Somerset and will see a specially equipped mobile classroom visit primary schools in the county.

Money for the project was raised in just 18 months and so far 61 schools have signed up for the scheme, meaning 12,400 pupils will take part.

LEC Somerset Chairman David Baker said: "The County Gazette's Stop It campaign has been a truly amazing fillip to our efforts.

"Week after week the Gazette has highlighted the work of Life Education Centres, the fundraising, and raised awareness which has helped to take us forward.

"We are grateful to the Gazette, and the readers, for their support."

County Gazette editor-in-chief, Ken Bird, said: "This campaign has been the biggest in the County Gazette's 167 year history.

"We have come a long way since the campaign was launched 18 months ago, but here we are today with the mobile classroom ready to take the education programme on the road. It has been fantastic to be part of it."

The campaign has been masterminded by County Gazette news editor Tamsin Curtis, who was singled out for praise for her work on the scheme in the Newsquest Editorial Awards 2003 when she was named runner-up in the Journalist of the Year category.

Celebrating the campaign's success: David Baker, Tamsin Curtis, Ken Bird, and LEC Somerset trustee David Montgomery, in front of the mobile classroom emblazoned with the campaign logo.

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