FIZZY drinks, sweets and crisps were given the elbow when South Lakes pupils took control of their break-time vending machine.

Stocking the shelves with fruit and vegetables, Cartmel CE Priory School students want to make sure their classmates receive a nutritional boost.

The switch was part of a campaign run by the British Heart Foundation encouraging students to design and then stock a vending machine full of healthy foods The Cartmel secondary was one of just 30 schools chosen to pilot the scheme.

Year Seven pupil Emily Barker said: “With this new vending machine we will only be able to get healthy snacks and drinks so it will help us to eat the right foods during the day and make it easier for us to put what we learn in the classroom into practice.”

Teacher Gemma Brown, the school’s Personal Social Health Education coordinator, said: “The pupils have thoroughly enjoyed working on the project — designing the machine and choosing the items to be sold.

“We really hope it will have a positive impact on all of our students. It has really shown how our whole school can work together to produce something fantastic.”