Mixed reaction over Sheffield schools’ strike calling for action on climate change ????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????

Sheffield Students protesting outside Sheffield Town Hall against the destruction of their future........Pic Steve Ellis

About 500 youngsters walked out of lessons on Friday and headed for Sheffield Town Hall carrying banners and wearing t-shirts adorned with slogans in protest at the mounting ecological crisis.

The day of action, which was the second within weeks, has led to a lot of debate on The Star’s Facebook page about whether or not the strike should have gone ahead.

Some were in support and Chellé Makinson said: “Well done young people of Sheffield. Today’s adults are affecting your future. I’m proud of you.”

Paul Flewitt posted that he was “so proud of these kids and what they're trying to achieve.”

He added: “People complaining need to consider that the planet is going to be theirs far longer than it is ours.

“This is them giving voice to their concerns and making it difficult for the Government to ignore them, as they have for far too long.

“Seeing these young people speaking so eloquently is a real inspiration.”

But others disagreed with the strike.

Dean Bamford said: “What is this going to achieve? We all know about climate change, children need to be at school to learn, study and one day solve the problem.”

Friday’s strike was the second day of action, following a previous walk-out on February 15, and there are reports that young people are planning further action once a month.

Some pupils faced the threat of detention for taking part in the previous walk-out, but many said that further sanctions from their school will not put put them off making their voices heard. The movement started in August when Greta Thunberg, a 16-year-old schoolgirl, held a solo protest outside the Swedish parliament.

Since then up to 70,000 school children have held protests worldwide.