Youngsters from schools in Hartley Wintney deliver a giant petition made of recycled bed sheets to 10 Downing Street with MP James Arbuthnot

CHILDREN from a north Hampshire village have sent their views on climate change to the Prime Minister.

As part of a two-day awareness event, pupils from Hartley Wintney schools signed a huge petition, made from recycled bed sheets, calling on the Government to cut the UK's carbon footprint by 90 per cent.

Children representing each school delivered the petition to 10 Downing Street on Monday, supported by their MP, James Arbuthnot.

The awareness event, at St John's Church, in Fleet Road, involved four schools and was organised by the village's church-led Operation Noah Group, which is part of a national charity hoping to make the Government approve legislation to cut carbon emissions.

As well as signing the petition, the children wrote on paper footprints that had been strung up around the church during the weekend's events, which included signing of an adult petition, stalls showing how people could cut their carbon emissions and screenings of the film An Inconvenient Truth.

Ruth Jarman, organiser of the event, said: "We all have a responsibility to call on the Government and say what needs to be said as it is our children and creation that will suffer.

"It is our moral obligation to do what we can. I think that the petition will make a difference.

"I was very pleased with how the event went. The church was buzzing and was filled with lots of people."

Mr Arbuthnot, who attended the event, said: "Climate change is one of the greatest challenges facing the world today. It is as much a social and economic threat as it is an ecological one.

"We all need to do our bit as individuals, businesses and Government, and I am grateful to everyone involved with Operation Noah for organising this fantastic event, which is helping raise awareness of climate change."

9:45am Sunday 20th July 2008

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