Green messages go up and away

Pupils at a primary school released balloons to mark Earth Day on Monday.

All pupils at Bowbridge Primary School released the balloons, with messages on how to look after the planet tied to them.

The Mayor of Newark, Mr Bryan Richardson, led the children in a countdown as a giant crane hoisted a net containing the balloons into the air and then released them.

Four-year-old Jasmine Jones’ message read: “Pick up litter.”

Her cousin, Ryan Jones (9) wrote: “Walk to school.”

Sam Walters wrote: “Turn off lights when not in use.”

Mr Richardson said: “This is instilling in the children the environmental requirements that we have today.”

Ryan said: “We try to be very eco-friendly and look at things that will help us save the planet.

“Sometimes I walk to school. We are always looking at ways in school to help.”

Sam said: “At home I try to tell my parents to turn off the lights when they are not in a room so the power stations do not have to work harder and we try not to drive to school.

“Sometimes it is hard when my parents get up late and they are in a rush to get to work and get me to school.”