STUDENT environmental activists swapped the classroom for the park when they walked out lectures to protest against climate change.

Members of the Young Friends of the Earth Darlington and students from Darlington's Queen Elizabeth Sixth Form College took over Stanhope Park as part of the latest nationwide extinction Rebellion Protest.

More than 200 students were joined by fellow activists in the park to spread the message about the impact climate change will have on the younger generation.

Organisers say the aim is to bring about governmental action by using their voices as students to show how much our future means to them.

Rosalynd Monaghan, who helped organise the protest in Darlington, said she was delighted with the number of people who turned out to show their support to their fight.

The Northern Echo: Members of Young Friends of the Earth Darlington protesting in Stanhope ParkMembers of Young Friends of the Earth Darlington protesting in Stanhope Park

The 17-year-old, from Leyburn, said: "We are here protesting against climate change, fossil fuels and politicians who deny anything is happening, even though they know it is happening.

"This is about young people care about their future and that they want to have a future; they want their children to have a future and that we understand that the consequences of what we are doing as humans but it also about knowing what we can do to stop it and trying to get government action to try and enforce things that can make change happen."

Placards created by the students bore slogans including one referencing US President Donald Trump's stance on climate change and his distinctive hair style which read ' You can't comb over climate change'.

The Northern Echo: One of the protesters with his Donald Trump-themed placardOne of the protesters with his Donald Trump-themed placard

Sukhy Kaur, 17, of Darlington, added: "I'm not usually someone who would protest but this is something that is really important to me."

Across the country, thousands of students are taking to the streets to demand action on climate change and call on the Government to teach children about the threat it poses.

Organisers say more than 120 protests are taking place in the UK, with tens of thousands of students attending - despite exams taking place in schools around the country.