Cockermouth School pupils took part in a strike to campaign against global warming last Friday.

Support has grown globally after Swedish pupil Greta Thunberg began striking from school every Friday to campaign against climate change.

This has encouraged pupils in the UK and internationally to come out in solidarity.

At the start of the demonstration, in Cockermouth's Main Street, 11 pupils and four adults turned out with placards saying messages such as 'we stand for what we stand on' and 'youth strike 4 climate' in the hope that the government will take action to counteract the impacts of rising temperatures on the planet.

The strike was initially organised by Isabella Bridgman, 14 and Clare Rodger, 14, but friends and supporters soon joined them in the fight to save the planet.

Isabella said: "We saw the campaign by Greta and other protests that are going on and thought that we should get involved. We hope that the government will notice us rising and hope they will do something about climate change."

Clare Rodger, 14, and Lou Rodger, 15, said that their parents supported them and have been helpful in printing leaflets and spreading the word on social media.

They were receiving plenty of support from the community on their protest.

Clare said there was a bigger turn out from pupils than she was expecting and that people on the street had been very supportive. One lady had even bought them 11 hot chocolates.

Isabella's mother, Letitia Thornton, said: "I am immensely proud and totally support her. I think they are doing something great, it was initially only going to be Isabella and Clare - it's great it has grown."

Dianne Moyes, from Cockermouth, was supporting the strikers.

An emotional Dianne said: "I was a teacher and was teaching about what would happen in the 80s. We've known about the effects of climate change for years. My generation has had all the benefits. It is very moving to see the kids today we should get angry that so little is being done to change things."

Allerdale Councillor Joan Ellis, who lives in Cockermouth and used to work at Cockermouth School was delighted that the pupils are making a stand. She said: "It's great that people in Cockermouth and district are out on the streets and raising awareness for climate change and after all Cockermouth School is an eco-school and has the eco-centre. They are doing so much to raise awareness I hope that they don't get put in detention because they're doing such good work to raise these issues."

Richard Watson, who intends to stand as a labour town councillor for Cockermouth in May, had been along to ask the pupils what they thought the town council could do to help. He said the pupils had talked about planting trees on council owned land. He said of the strikers: "I think we should be supporting them. They are putting themselves personally at risk to further a cause that is important to them. It's our generation that has created this mess."

An international strike is planned for March 15, which the pupils intend to support.

Cockermouth School declined to give a comment.