WHEN Newport CE Primary School was asked by one of its ex pupils to collect eco-bricks, they jumped at the opportunity to become involved in the project.

As part of a project for her National Citizenship award, former student Zoe Paulet decided to try to reduce the use of single-use plastic and enlist the help of the wider community to repurpose it.

For two weeks, schoolchildren have been busy collecting all of the single-use plastic in their homes and from around school and using it to fill plastic bottles.

These bottles will be used all over the world as eco-bricks — when a plastic bottle is stuffed full of plastic waste it is very solid and can be used instead of regular bricks.

Lots of children across the school have given up their lunchtimes to collect and pack the plastic, and the school has managed to make more than 150 eco-bricks in just two weeks.

Head of school, Kirsty Wallace, said: “We are very proud of the pupils for giving up so much of their time for this project.

"They have shown they are concerned about the use of plastics and the impact it has on our oceans.

"Even more impressively, they have also shown they are willing to do something about it.”