STUDENTS across East Lothian travelled to Edinburgh last Friday to join a worldwide protest on climate change.

The Student Strike Against Climate Change took place at the Scottish Parliament, and it is thought that more than 2,000 pupils from Edinburgh and the Lothians were among the more than 3,000 who attended, including groups from Knox Academy, Dunbar Grammar School, North Berwick High School and Law Primary School, with banners and placards.

Law Primary School youngsters Joseph Gerald, Rab Ellis, Christopher Fleming and Fin McIlwraith also met Green MSP for Lothian Andy Wightman at the protest.

Hamish Rae, head of the North Berwick High School Eco Committee, said: “The more schools that represent themselves at these protests, the further the message is spread across the country.

"Of course, it's important for the status of the school to display themselves as forward-thinking and eco-friendly, but the real push for students to go was to make an impact in numbers.”

The 17-year-old added: “The 9.27 train from North Berwick to Edinburgh was brimming with North Berwick pupils holding their eco messages, leading to commuters asking us questions about the protest.

"Many of us were then able to spread the positive message to the general public before we even got to Holyrood – thanks to the large numbers that attended just from our school.

"The common agreement amongst students is clear that a policy change is necessary, so it was vital that as many as possible could make themselves heard and grow louder as a community.”

Law Primary School’s Rab Ellis, 11, said: “We’re poisoning ourselves with pollution and damaging the environment, and we can’t survive.

"The demo will get politicians to stop arguing among themselves and put governments all over the world under pressure to do something about it.”

North Berwick High School student Isla Sneddon, 14, said: “I want the Government to understand that we all care about this issue, and it’s something that has to be changed. We have to do something.”

Meanwhile, MSP Mr Wightman said of his meeting with Law Primary School pupils: "I’ve been speaking to the youngsters and they’re very eloquent. It’s really exciting to see this strength of feeling, and this movement being driven by them. It’s a great day."

The demonstration at Holyrood was one of more than 1,700 throughout the world, a movement started by Swedish teenager Greta Thunberg, who has been 'on strike' outside Sweden’s parliament building every Friday since last summer.

Last week, the 16-year-old was nominated for the Nobel Peace Prize.