LAST week saw young people in Redditch join thousands of students around the UK in the third international Youth Strike 4 Climate.

School and college students took part in the demonstrations to call on decision makers to treat the climate and ecological crisis as a priority.

They are following the example of teenage activist Greta Thunberg whose weekly protests in Sweden have sparked a global movement of young people dedicated to confronting climate crisis.

Around a dozen students gathered outside Redditch Town Hall, talking to local residents and collecting petition signatures to call on the council to declare a Climate Emergency.

One local student, Aston-Lee Simon (aged 11), put it simply.

“The adults of the world we live in have grown up knowing about climate change and have done nothing to stop it," he said.

"Today we strike to raise awareness of this emergency and to put pressure on the government to do something about it.”

More than 50 local authorities across the country have declared a Climate Emergency, including Herefordshire County Council and Wyre Forest District Council.

Climate campaigners locally hope Redditch will do the same soon.

Supporting the youth strike, Claire Davies from the local Green Party, said: "I'm proud that we have young people in Redditch taking a stand against the inaction of those in authority. It's a privilege to stand alongside them and help amplify their voices."