TEENAGE drivers hit the road for Children in Need yesterday as a popular charity held a special fundraising event in Wroughton.

Swindon Young Drivers, a charity which gets kids behind the wheel in a bid to teach them about road safety, teamed up with Pudsey the Bear to throw a fundraising drive-a-thon.

Polka dot cars were driven by teenagers around a specially-designed course at the Wroughton Park and Ride station.

Jo Silvester, chairman of Swindon Young Drivers, said: “Today is all about raising as much money as we possibly can for Children in Need.”

Swindon Young Drivers was established two years ago and earlier this year became a fully-registered charity.

They take children from as young as 10-years-old, put them behind the wheel and teach them how to stay safe on the road.

Jo said: “We let them do all the different manoeuvres that are featured on the driving test.”

Organisers had set up an elaborate slalom run, complete with country roads and tight, winding lanes.

Fifteen-year-old Louisa Pritchard was one of the young drivers taking part.

Explaining how she has benefitted from the initiative, she said: “It’s good to be able to learn how to drive, even though I’m not old enough yet.

“You see your parents doing it and think it looks simple, but it’s actually quite hard.

“This has been a really great experience because it gives you more knowledge about the road and it builds your confidence. It’s brilliant, I would definitely recommend it to other people my age.”

Even Mayor Maureen Penny popped down to give a big high-five to Pudsey and to support the young drivers.

She said: “This is a fantastic initiative. It’s really important for young people to learn about road safety from an early age.

“They are able to spot things they wouldn’t necessarily notice when they are passengers and they are even able to point things out that their parents might be doing wrong.

“Also, it’s brilliant that they are using today to raise money for Pudsey, a fantastic cause.”