Pupils at a Bradford secondary school plan to launch an eco-revolution.

Year 10 youngsters at Nab Wood School in Cottingley have been given the green light to transform the way the school is run as part of a bid to boost the environment and secure a prestigious award.

Teenage boys set to embark on a B-Tec diploma in horticulture from September have been chosen to lead the project. They will ensure waste products are recycled wherever possible, manage a wildlife area, grow vegetables for the school kitchen, regulate energy consumption and run a campaign to highlight the importance of eco-awareness to peers and the community. Nab Wood also plans to attain Eco-Schools Green Flag status - awarded to schools who go the extra mile to limit their carbon footprint.

Fourteen-year-old Mathew Carter, of Clayton, said: "We have heard about climate change. We wanted to get involved and help because the work is fun and important."

More than 20 boys have been selected to take part in the scheme. With help from managers from the Bradford & Building plc, the group has already constructed a large outdoor waste storage area featuring wooden bins which will be used to hold kitchen waste, grass cuttings, manure, plastics and paper and planted hundreds of bulbs.

Pupils have also built bat and bird boxes and hedgehog hotels' which will be placed in the Cottingley New Road school's grounds, part of which will be given over to wildlife.

Aamir Ali, 15, of Heaton, said: "We will be sending out questionnaires to parents to ask whether they recycle and encourage them to do it.

"We have made the bird and bat boxes and will sell them to teachers first and then get people to come to the school to buy them."

Kevin Beach, deputy head teacher, said: "We want to have a positive impact on our environment and make an already pleasant school even more pleasant to work in.

"We also want our pupils to get out of the classroom and learn outdoors and get the whole community thinking about environmental issues."

e-mail: dan.webber@bradford.newsquest.co.uk

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