SWINDONIANS are battling for victory over their M4 rivals as the town reaches the final week of Beat the Street.

Residents in the town have walked, run and pedalled around 265,000 miles over the past month in a bid to tap their contactless cards on as many Beat the Street boxes as possible.

The lottery-funded initiative sees people accumulate points by walking or running between the brightly coloured boxes, placed on lampposts and fences at roughly half mile intervals.

Beat the Street has been tested in towns across the country. Now, Swindon has the opportunity to beat current record holders Reading, where 297,000 miles were covered in 2016.

The initiative, which is run by Intelligent Health on behalf of Swindon Borough Council and Sport England, ends next Wednesday.

Coun Brian Ford, public health chief for the council, urged Swindonians to get off the sofa and earn their final few Beat the Street points – hopefully trouncing Reading in the process.

He said: “This exercise initiative has been a brilliant success. To think that we have travelled further than the moon in just a month is a massive achievement. Well done to everyone who has taken part.

“It has been wonderful to see so many people participate in such an enjoyable and beneficial activity and it would be fantastic if we could set a new record.

“Come on everyone, I know we can do it.”

Next Wednesday the number of points that Beat Boxes are giving out increasing every hour from 4pm until the end of the game at 7pm.

Schools say youngsters have been encouraged by the game to get out on chilly evenings to collect more Beat the Street points for their class.

Debbie Yockney of Haydonleigh Primary School, which is currently trailing Ferndale Primary School in the leader boards, said: “It’s had an amazing, positive impact on the children and their families. When you’re out and about you can see people all heading towards these lampposts with the Beat the Street boxes. I’ve seen grandparents in their electric scooters going to the boxes.”

The school was planning to take advantage of the interest from Beat the Street, introducing a five minute walk to school zone. Signs will show families when they are five minutes’ walk from the school, encouraging them to park the car and walk to the playground instead.

For more about Beat the Street, visit: beatthestreet.me/swindon. Contactless cards are available from Swindon Central Library in Regent Circus.