A RALLYING call to join a local protest over climate change has been made by a Peebles schoolgirl who fears “we are running out of time”.

Inspired by Swedish activist Greta Thunberg and other school pupils who recently went on strike to protest about global warming, Kyla Burnett-Godfree has organised a demonstration in Peebles.

The Priorsford Primary pupil feels passionately about the fight against climate change and wants Peebles to be part of the biggest global mobilisation ever, by joining her local protest on Tweed Green next Friday.

Speaking to the Peeblesshire News, the 11-year-old activist said: “When I first heard about climate change and what we humans are doing to the planet, I didn’t understand why we would do such things.

"It worries me how little time we have left. Scientists have shown that we are less than 12 years away from not being able to undo our mistakes.”

Unlike many young campaigners, Kyra will not be walking out of school to protest.

“When I heard about what Greta Thunberg and all the other kids are doing it inspired me to be a part of it. I saw that children all around the world are going on school strikes, marches and gatherings outside parliaments to get their voices heard about how much climate change will affect our generation.

"I would like to go to the Friday strikes outside Holyrood but I wouldn’t be able to get there and I don’t want to miss school at this point in time.”

Kyra is eager to get people involved in the global kids’ protest and says the community needs to show that it supports action against climate change.

She added: “When I got the opportunity to set up a march in Peebles, not involving a school strike, I thought it would be a great thing to do. I hope that as many people as possible can come to show their support.

“We are running out of time. We need adults to listen to us and to act on climate change before it’s too late.”

The march will take place next Friday, March 15, a day that children all around the world will protest against climate change. Campaigners will meet at Tweed Green at 3pm and are asked to bring homemade banners/flags using recycled paper or material.

Although youngsters won’t miss school lessons attending Kyra’s demonstration, schoolchildren who want to attend the Edinburgh protest will.

City of Edinburgh Council said pupils could attend a planned rally outside the Scottish Parliament as long as they had permission of parents or carers.

We contacted Scottish Borders Council to see what its stance is on authorised absence from school should pupils in the Borders want to travel to the city to join the march. But, at the time of going to press, no response had been received.