Hundreds of school children have missed lessons to march the streets as part of the global climate change protests taking part across the world today.

The young activists marched down Canterbury high street with placards bearing emotive messages before congregating outside the Cathedral and making speeches calling for climate justice.

Protester Alex Mundy says they feel people are starting to listen and it is now down to the government to take action.

"This is becoming greater and greater," said the 14-year-old, who helped organise the protest.

"It's 100% up to the next generation to make change.

"We're doing what we can right now and hopefully the government will listen and when it listens then we can exceed what we're doing to stop climate change."

Protester Sterling Chandler says schools need to educate more people.

"Only then can people really start to understand the affects of climate change," he said.

"At the moment everything is so focused on Brexit, people are forgetting about the bigger issues.

"The world is bigger than Brexit."

Hundreds of young protesters also gathered at the harbour stage in Whitstable before marching along the seafront.

Rally organiser Julie Bevan says it was arranged just a few days ago.

"It’s been an event built on love, passion and belief, love for our children, love for our community, love for our planet and love for our future," she said.

"The level of support has been amazing and we are proud to join all others taking a stand internationally. Inspired, of course, by Greta Thunburg.”

Margo Selby, who runs a studio in Whitstable, says she has taken time out of running her business to take part in the strike.

“Everyone has got to get involved - especially businesses as they have got all their employees and not just a single person," she said.

“Our kids brought us here, we didn’t bring them here.”

The protests form part of the Global Climate Strike, which took place across the globe to highlight young people’s demands for governments to commit to changing their environmental policy.

Sparked by teenage campaigner Greta Thunberg, the demonstrations call for an end to the age of fossil fuels and push for climate justice.

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