EXETER'S revolutionary Skilled 4 Health scheme slowed down a gear this week, as families relaxed during a yoga session.

The city is the only one in the country to get Government funding to run the project, which aims to transform the health and well-being of parents and their children with the help of Exeter teachers.

During the past month, mums and dads have been learning to cook healthy meals and taking part in sports.

With their children they have joined in a host of free fun activities, including pilates and rugby training with players from the Exeter Chiefs.

The £50,000 scheme has been paid for by the Government.

Skilled 4 Health is run from St Luke's Science and Sports College, on Hill Barton Road, but 70 mums, dads and children from all of the city's five secondary schools and Southbrook College are taking part.

The classes will run for another 10 weeks and will be paid for from the cash St Luke's receives for being a specialist sports and science school.

There will also be computing and numeracy classes, while representatives from the police, fire service and St John Ambulance will be on hand to give safety advice.

Schools operator Carillion, which built all of Exeter's new secondary schools as part of a private finance initiative project, is providing the school's facilities after hours for free.

Skilled 4 Health is part of a wider St Luke's project to promote healthy lifestyles.

Pupils have pedometers to measure the number of walking steps people take in a day, expert help on designing a diet that is healthy and economical and taster sessions in activities such as archery and kite-surfing.

Parents on Skilled 4 Health follow four different courses: healthy eating, which includes cookery classes; health and fitness, which includes gym sessions and health and physical activity, which includes badminton, rugby and football.

Those on the health and beauty course have so far tried salsa, pilates and aerobics.