A nursery marked a national health drive to encourage children to drink milk with an event attended by their local MP.

Limehouse Day Nursery’s event to mark World School Milk Day had Jim Fitzpatrick MP as its milk monitor.

Mr Fitzpatrick, MP for Poplar and Limehouse, said milk is vital for building a healthy body.

The annual event on Wednesday 25, driven by the United Nations, saw the pupils join hundreds of schools and nurseries across the UK for a day celebrated in over 30 countries across the world since 2000.

Mr Fitzpatrick said: “I was delighted to be a milk monitor for a day at Limehouse Nursery. I didn’t have to encourage them too much as every youngster loves the stuff.

“It’s vital that children here and across the world have milk in their diets which is why I’m backing World School Milk Day.”

In the UK an estimated 1.5 million children under five receive free milk every day, while pupils aged five to eleven receive subsidised milk.

The milk is delivered to the classroom and builds healthy bones and teeth, as well as improving children’s concentration, memory and creativity.

For more information visit www.worldschoolmilkday.com