RESIDENTS in Popley are halfway through a six-week programme which encourages more people to get active.

Beat the Street, which is funded by Hampshire County Council and delivered by Intelligent Health with support from Basingstoke and Deane Borough Council, has seen more than 2,300 people collectively walk nearly 16,000 miles.

The free six-week real-life walking and cycling game, which will end on November 11, allows people taking part to collect points for the number of miles they travel in a bid to win prizes.

Pupils from St Bede’s Catholic Primary School are currently at the top of the overall leaderboard while members of the Melrose Hall and Popley Field Community Cycle Club are currently top of the average points leaderboard.

And as an added incentive to clock up the miles, participants of the scheme will be offered the chance to double their points on Beat Box number 21 on Carpenters Down by visiting the Hallowe’en party at Popley Fields Community Centre on Saturday, October 31.

Beat the Street project manager Suny Ravenscroft said: “With the clocks going back this weekend, there’s an extra hour in which to play Beat the Street!

“However, with the evenings getting darker earlier, be sure that you don’t walk alone and that you are visible while out and about.

“We’ve been delighted at the continued enthusiasm for the Beat the Street project and the way in which people have embraced the concept of walking wherever possible.

“However, on a less positive note, we’ve heard of a couple of instances of people driving between Beat Boxes and would ask people to stick to the rules of the game to make it fair for everyone.”

Players can monitor their process at www.popley.beatthestreet.me.