SWEETS and fizzy drinks will soon be off the menu for pupils using Wimborne's Queen Elizabeth's Leisure Centre.

Councillors are set to close down the vending machines at the centre between 8.30am and 3.30pm during the school day when pupils from nearby Queen Elizabeth's School use the facilities.

The move comes in the wake of the government's recent directive to promote healthy eating in schools.

In a report to the centre's consultative group, meeting today, East Dorset District Council's head of community services Neil Farmer said the school had taken measures to introduce healthy food options into its catering programme.

As part of this process all vending machines products had been vetted, resulting in only healthy food options being offered.

Mr Farmer said: "As part of this process, the school has recently approached the centre in respect of the products on offer in its machines.

"Given the wide ranging consumer markets using such machines, the centre currently offers a wide range of confectionery, health food products and drinks to its customers, some of which the government would now see as being inappropriate for consumption by children."

And Mr Farmer added: "Given the excellent working relationship the centre has with the school and our desire to maintain and promote healthy eating habits within the school, we have agreed to close down our confectionery machines from 8.30am to 3.30pm during the school day."

Councillors will hear the profit from vending sales will be reduced by between £1,500 and £2,000 per year.