Students across Dorset have been making their voices heard as they stand up against climate change.

Across the country thousands of schoolchildren took part in the Youth Strike 4 Climate movement demanding the UK Government declare a climate emergency.

Year 10 students at All Saints C of E School in Weymouth created a visually impactful demonstration in their school grounds spending two hours painting a world map on the playground - ready to greet the rest of the school at break time.

Written in each land mass on the map were stark facts and figures and harsh realities of the causes of climate change pertaining to the relevant continent.

The art was the brainchild of Year 10 student, Jo Orrell after she read about Greta Thunberg in the Guardian.

Jo said she immediately felt is was something the pupils should take part in and set up a meeting with headteacher, Brian Boyes and rallied her fellow classmates.

Jo said. “We are too young to vote so this is our way of making our voices heard.”

The group also created protest placards and each wrote a letter to South Dorset MP Richard Drax appealing him to take action.

Year 10 pupil Aimee Hope said: “Our planet is slowly dying. If we don’t take a stand who else will?

Mr Boyes said the students had his full support.

“They’ve got behind it and made their voices heard. I think they have done it in a really mature way and communicated their ideas brilliantly. The message they are getting across is really important. How could I say no?”

Pupils at the Purbeck School also took part in the action with sixth form geography students collectively writing a compelling letter to Mid-Dorset MP, Michael Tomlinson.

They said: “We are writing to urge you to hold our ministers accountable in Parliament, and promote a clean environmental future in our constituency, our country and our planet.”

Read the full letter here.

Year 13 students also had an assembly focusing on the climate strikes. They learnt about Greta Thunberg’s campaign, how one person can make a difference and how to reduce their carbon footprint.

Youngsters in West Dorset also lent their voice to the fight against climate change.

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

Pupils at Bridport Primary School organised a walk out, leaving school early at 2.50pm.

Seth Jones, aged 9 took part in the walk out with his six-year-old sister, Mabli.

He said: “We think some people are not taking care of our environment. We need to take action and do something about it. It’s our life and we don’t want to grow up in a world that’s polluted.”

Seth’s mum, Anna Jones said the school had supported the children taking part.

“Seth was so enthusiastic about it I couldn’t not support him. We are so proud of all of them,” she said.