PUPILS at a North Yorkshire school are on a mission to save the planet.

What started as a project about oceans at Staynor Hall Primary Academy in Selby has transformed into a conservation appeal – and a global online sensation.

Year 3 and 4 pupils swung into action to defend the environment after they discovered the damaging effects of plastic pollution.

More than 1,000 people have now signed a change.org petition to lobby Environment Secretary Michael Gove to stop food companies using single use plastics in their packaging. “We explained to the children that if our petition gets enough support and enough people sign it, then the Government will have to talk about it and listen to them,” said teacher Hannah Spark who, with colleague Isi Stewart, worked with the children on the project.

Through social media, the children won backing from Brisbane, Australia, collected celebrity endorsements from Simon Mayo and Sara Cox – and Selby MP Nigel Adams visited the school to tell the children how the government is responding. Mr Adams signed the petition himself and promised to hand it to Mr Gove.

Miss Stewart said: “The children were very excited to meet the MP and are very grateful he has offered to personally present it to the Environment Secretary.

“They also took the opportunity to ask questions and find out more about how the government is tackling this issue and what it means to be an MP.”