Pupils from schools in Pembroke Dock will be seen more clearly when out and about thanks to a donation of high-visibility vests from a local opticians.

Now that the clocks have gone back and the nights are drawing in, Specsavers in Pembroke Dock has donated luminous vests to three schools in the area, Pembroke Dock Community School, Pennar Infant School and Golden Grove Community School, as part of the store's Be Seen, Be Safe initiative.

The initiative, which forms part of Specsavers' national Drive Safe campaign, sets out to increase the safety of children while they are walking to school or out on group trips.

Store director, Gary Owen, said: "Several members of the team here at Specsavers are parents, so we became aware that some schools in the area were keen to use high-visibility vests for walking bus schemes and class trips.

"With this in mind, coupled with the fact that the winter months are upon us with darker mornings and nights drawing in, we wanted to help increase the safety of children in Pembroke Dock by offering schools free high-visibility vests."

Mrs. Michele Thomas, headteacher at Pembroke Dock Community School, added: "We would like to thank Specsavers for its kind donation to our school, which will help increase the safety of our pupils.

"The vests will be used by the children in the autistic centre when on their weekly off-site visits, improving the safety of pupils. Our Junior Road Safety Officers are delighted that their 'Be safe, Be seen' message is being supported by Specsavers and recommend all pupils wear something fluorescent by day and something reflective by night."

As part of the initiative, Specsavers also aims to raise awareness of the availability of free glasses and eye tests for under 16s.

Eye examinations for children are paid for by the NHS up to the age of 16, or 19 if they are in full-time education.

If children need glasses, the NHS contributes towards the cost. At Specsavers, this voucher entitles children to free glasses from a wide range of frames.

Mr. Owen continued: "Good eyesight is one of the most important tools in a child's learning and if it is not in perfect condition it can often be mistaken for learning difficulties in young children.

"Around 80 per cent of everything a child learns is through their vision, so even a minor problem with a child's sight can mean they suffer huge setbacks in their development at school.

"It is important, therefore, that children have regular eye examinations so that any problems are picked up quickly and do not turn into something more severe in the long term."

Specsavers has made a longstanding commitment to improving eyesight on the roads.

For the last six years the Specsavers Drive Safe trailer has been visiting public events at various locations throughout the UK and Ireland.

It offers a wealth of information about the inherent dangers of bad eyesight when driving and the benefits of regular eye examinations. It also offers free vision screening, specs MOTs and a chance to view the latest frames.

To book an appointment for an eye examination, contact Specsavers Pembroke Dock on 01646 623090 or log onto http://www.specsavers.co.uk/stores/pembrokedock">www.specsavers.co.uk/stores/pembrokedock