More than 1,500 school children across Richmond have written to the government, joining Sir David Attenborough's campaign to change national policy on plastic disposal.

To coincide with the celebrated naturalists 93rd birthday tomorrow, pupils from 17 primary and secondary schools called for action on plastic wastage, which they say is 'destroying their future world.'

The initiative is the idea of brothers Lucas and William Owen-Holt, 13 and 14, students of Orleans Park School in Twickenham, who were inspired by the suffering caused to wildlife highlighted in Sir David's recent Blue Planet programme.

The boys have garnered enthusiastic support from schools across Richmond, Twickenham, Teddington, Hampton, Ham, Mortlake and Sheen.

Lucas Owen-Holt said:“We are begging the government to bring in very tough, immediate laws to stop plastic from killing the world that today’s children will be living in tomorrow.

“It’s clear from every one of these letters that children can live without the so-called conveniences such as plastic bags, disposable plastic cutlery, plastic bottles, plastic packaging, plastic toys, and so much more.

"When weighing up the convenience of plastic with the cruelty and damage it inflicts on our beautiful and irreplaceable natural world, we would rather do without”.

The children are asking for:

1. A ban on all the following (but not exclusively): single-use plastic including plastic bottles, plastic bags, plastic straws, plastic cutlery, plastic packaging and wrap.

2. Compostable packaging to replace all plastic packaging in supermarkets, shops, cafes and takeaway restaurants.

3. Clear, uniform labelling on all packaging so people are crystal clear about what it is and how it should be disposed of.

4. Every school in the UK to teach children of all ages about the correct disposal of all materials and the importance of buying products that are compostable.

Last week, Parliament declared a national climate emergency following numerous protests led by environmental group Extinction Rebellion.

MPs are calling on the government to make changes that include setting a new target of reaching net zero emissions before 2050.