The French Apples Marketing Committee has launched a new campaign to encourage UK school children to eat Le Crunch apples.

The body has employed four professional educational performers to tour 50 primary schools across London over a five-week period.

The actors play five Le Crunch Crew characters – Granny Smith, Red, Gala, Braeburn and Golden Delicious – and perform a variety of acts, including juggling, levitation, mime and songs to an audience of seven to 11 year olds.

The show, which made its debut at Queen's Primary School in Richmond today, has been devised to fit in with the UK national curriculum.

At the end of each performance, the crew distributes Le Crunch educational packs comprising a 12-minute video, a series of curriculum-based activity sheets and posters.

Participating schools are also encouraged to enter a Le Crunch Crew art competition in which they could win £2,500-worth of art and computer equipment.

Jacques Vanoye, president of the French Apples Marketing Committee, said: 'We have developed an educational campaign to assist teachers to get the healthy eating message across in a fun way.

'Initial feedback has shown that the London roadshows to be oversubscribed by 300 per cent, proving that schools are looking for new and fun ways to teach kids.' The show is funded by Le Crunch apples and forms part of the brand's sponsorship programme for 2002.