A couple from the South Hams were among millions taking part in a global climate strike led by schoolchildren.

Erica Travies and Bunji Wallace, from Stoke Fleming, staged their own protest on Blackpool Sands to demand urgent action on climate change.

The worldwide protests are the latest in a series of school strikes started by 16-year-old Swedish activist Greta Thunberg.

The movement has now spread across 150 countries, with Friday’s action billed as the largest so far.

The pair said they walked to the beach to cut down on their carbon footprint.

When they arrived, they began collecting pebbles and assembled a large Extinction Rebellion logo.

Bunji said it was his birthday wish to take part in the protests: “Erica said ‘what do you want to do today’, I said ‘right, we need to go do something about the climate, even if it’s small.”

They rang a cowbell as part of the #RingTheBellForClimate campaign, designed to remind people of the seriousness of the climate crisis.

The couple plans to strike most days this week and hope other local people will join them on the beach at 12pm.

Erica said she wants to show that local people “really do care”.

After the protest, they went to the pub to spread the word.

Larger strikes also took place in Plymouth and Exeter.