Sir David Attenborough backs Crosskeys pupils over milk bottles

Waunfawr Primary School pupils will be the first in Wales to receive a Green Apple award at the Houses of Parliament

Pupils who successfully campaigned to replace their plastic milk cartons for glass bottles have been praised by Sir David Attenborough.

Waunfawr Primary School pupils will receive an environmental award at the Houses of Parliament next month.

The school, in Crosskeys, Caerphilly, received its first bottles this week and is among a handful of schools to make the switch.

Sir David sent a handwritten letter of support after pupils contacted him.

The school had been receiving more than 300 plastic milk cartons a week.

• Plastic straw rise as pupils seek ban

• Single-use cup rise as 56 million bought

• How plastic is killing our sea creatures

It prompted its eco-committee to contact Caerphilly County Borough Council to urge cabinet members to agree to the change.

After four months of lobbying, the council agreed to a one-year pilot.

Pupil Megan, who is on the committee, said: "When I looked into it I was very concerned about how it affected sea creatures and how they may become extinct."

'Go plastic-free'

Another pupil, Phoebe, said: "We don't really use plastic in our house now because we know what happens to the creatures."

Teacher Rhiannon Burghan said: "We're delighted, we're now going to work alongside the council to pilot the milk bottles [scheme]."

Waunfawr pupils will be the first in Wales and the fourth in the UK to receive a Green Apple award.

The school is now aiming to go "plastic free", and wants to eliminate the use of all single-use plastics.