Fat and obese children in Fulham are being offered free courses to help them get fit and eat well.

The Mind, Exercise, Nutrition... Do it! (MEND) programme returns to Fulham next month, offering children aged 7-13, and their families, practical support on how to improve diet and increase activity to keep weight in check.

Children take classes where they learn about reading food labels as well as taking part in fun ways to exercise.

Lillie Road resident Tracy Whitten, 29, got her daughter, Jamie-Lee, eight, onto the MEND course in September.

"She was eating a lot of crisps and I noticed her stomach was getting dimply so I wanted to nip any problems in the bud," she said.

After ten weeks on the course, Jamie-Lee lost a kilo in weight and shed 5cm from her waistline. "She was also happy in herself and had a lot more confidence," said Ms Whitten.

The ten-week course will be held at Fulham Primary School from March 2 and will run on Monday and Wednesday evenings from 5pm-7pm. Places will be offered on a first-come-first served basis.

Families who complete the course will receive rewards including a stadium tour of Fulham FC and a match day ticket to a Fulham FC home game for those with 100 per cent attendance.

To register, visit www.mendprogramme.org or call 0800 230 0263.