A new environmental campaign is hoping to use children's voices to tackle plastic waste and pollution.

We Are the Voice is partnering with several schools in the area, whose pupils will lend their voices to a new version of a pro-environmental pop song first released in 2002.

The campaign hopes to promote public awareness of the plastics in children’s products and the wider impact this has on the environment.

A statement announcing the launch of the campaign said that it aimed to give children who were interested in the natural world and distressed by the effects of pollution pathways to tackling the problem.

We Are The Voice said: "We know children feel very strongly about this issue and are genuinely upset by images they see of dead whales' stomachs full of plastic, strangled turtles and seabirds dying in plastic bags.

"We Are the Voice aims to give our children a voice in driving change and innovation — something they need and want for the future of their planet."

The central project the campaign will focus on plans to record a new version of We Are The Voice, the song from which the group gets its name, which was written and performed by Campaign Founder Dr Niamh Clune, for the World Summit on Sustainable Development (The Earth Summit) in Johannesburg, 2002.

Schools will first come together on February 10 to rehearse and workshop the song. The new version will be recorded on March 3 at Hook Studios, Kingston, to hopefully by released for general distribution soon after.

Speaking to the Comet, Dr Clune said that her experiences as an environmental activist over the last two decades encouraged her to launch the campaign.

Dr Clune said: "As a grandmother and environmental campaigner since 1998, I am aware of how much is at stake. If we can pool our talent and generosity of spirit, we can make a real difference."

Schools already participating in the area are: St Lawrence C of E Junior School; Esher High School; Stagecoach Hinchley Wood, Weston Green; Hampton Boys School and Mini Molesey Theatre Club.

For further information phone Niamh Clune: 07766140118