The Helmet Watch initiative was organised by the Bicycle Helmet Initiative Trust, a national charity that helps to reduce the number of children who are killed and injured every year in cycling accidents across the UK. Sponsored by Warburtons, the initiative involved the Trust working closely with police forces and road safety partnerships during 2010 to promote safe cycling.

In South Yorkshire, youngsters aged between three and 15 who were spotted by appointed police officers and PCSOs wearing their bicycle helmets were rewarded with on-the-spot prizes. They were also given bookmarks on how to fit a helmet correctly, information cards for parents and a prize draw entry for a chance to win one of the bigger regional prizes.

14 year-old Emily Wright from Sheffield was riding her bike in Endcliffe Park when she was stopped by a local police officer and rewarded for wearing her cycle helmet. She entered the prize draw and was one of a handful of lucky winners from across the country, winning a prize of a digital camera and digital photo keyring.

Emily said ”It was the first time that I’d been riding my bike on my own and when a police officer stopped me I thought I’d done something wrong! I was really pleased when they told me I had won a prize for wearing my helmet and I’ll definitely be wearing it every time that I ride my bike”.

Angela Lee, the founder and Chief Executive of The Bicycle Helmet Initiative Trust, said: "as part of Helmet Watch 2010, police forces around the UK have requested more than 30,000 Helmet Watch packs.

"The response from all over the country has been amazing with forces from across the UK taking part including Devon and Cornwall, Kent, the Metropolitan Police Force, Merseyside, Staffordshire, Lincolnshire, Flintshire, Hampshire, Somerset, Dorset, Nottinghamshire, Carmarthenshire, Lancashire, Cumbria, North Yorkshire, Belfast and Glasgow as well as South Yorkshire”.

Chief Inspector Stuart Walne from South Yorkshire Police said, “It is vital that parents and carers help to keep their children safe on the roads of South Yorkshire, Helmet Watch is a great way of rewarding young people who wear a cycle helmet.

“Head injury is one of the biggest single causes of death and serious injury amongst young cyclists. Putting on a cycle helmet when you’re riding your bike could mean the difference between life and death”.

Latest figures show that in 2009, 16,960 people were inured whilst cycling in Great Britain and 104 were killed*.