An Edinburgh “safety centre”, dedicated to keeping young people from harm in their everyday lives, has increased in popularity.

The Risk Factory - which describes itself as “Scotland’s first purpose- built, interactive, experiential community safety centre” - opened in 2007. Realistic sets introduce scenarios, such as homes, roads, shops and building sites. One involves reacting to a house fire.

Some 93 per cent of primary schools in the four local authorities which provide funding - Edinburgh, East Lothian, Midlothian and West Lothian - visited the centre in 2008-09, an increase of 9 per cent on the previous year. More than 7,500 pupils went between August 2008 and June 2009.

www.theriskfactory.org.