Students took a a stand against climate change today, walking out of class  to demand immediate action.

This morning, a group of students from The Sir John Colfox Academy held a demonstration at Bucky Doo Square in Bridport.

Bridport Primary School pupils, along with parents and teachers, did the same shortly before 3pm this afternoon.

The youngsters carried placards and banners conveying strong messages opposing climate change, all of  which were made in their own time.

West and South Dorset Green Party last night issued a plea to headteachers to support students who wished to strike. 

Kelvin Clayton, Bridport Town Councillor and party chairman, said in a statement: 'I hope that you can understand how important the future of our planet is, particularly for our young people. It is their future which is at stake, and whilst they cannot yet vote that does not mean that they must be silent.' 

Youth Strike 4 Climate movement organisers said strikes took place in 60 towns and cities. 

Bridport and Lyme Regis News:

IMPORTANT MESSAGE: Students make sure their voices are heard as they express climate change concerns

Former UN climate chief Christiana Figueres voiced her support for the cause, saying the action was 'moving'.

She said: "It's time to heed the deeply moving voice of youth and schoolchildren, who are so worried about their future that they need to strike to make us pay attention.

"It is a sign that we are failing in our responsibility to protect them from the worsening impacts of climate change."

John Sauven, executive director of Greenpeace UK, said: "Young people know that their lives are going to be changed dramatically by the impacts of climate change.

"The risks that older people hope they might dodge are the problems the young will inherit.

"And the longer the young wait for action to be taken, the harder it will be for them in future."

However, the strikes were not welcomed by school leaders and Education Secretary Damian Hinds, who said missing class was not the answer.

Mr Hinds said: "I want young people to be engaged in key issues affecting them and involving themselves in causes they care about.

"But let me be clear, missing class won't do a thing to help the environment; all they will do is create extra work for teachers."

The movement has already seen school strikes in Australia and European countries including Belgium, and was inspired by teenager Greta Thunberg, who protests every Friday outside Sweden's parliament to urge leaders to tackle climate change.

The strikes come in the wake of a UN report which warned that limiting global temperature rises to 1.5C above pre-industrial levels, beyond which climate impacts become increasingly severe, requires unprecedented action.

That includes cutting global carbon dioxide emissions by almost half within 12 years.

Students are demanding the UK Government declare a climate emergency and take active steps to tackle the problem, communicate the severity of the ecological crisis to the public and reform the curriculum to make it an educational priority.

Anna Taylor, of UK Student Climate Network, said: "We're running out of time for meaningful change, and that's why we're seeing young people around the world rising up to hold their governments to account on their dismal climate records.

"Unless we take positive action, the future's looking bleak for those of us that have grown up in an era defined by climate change."

Was your child's school involved? Let us know at news@bridportnews.co.uk