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Students in Exeter and Barnstaple will today protest to what they call a lack of government action to combat climate change.

Hundreds will take to the streets across the country later, with Exeter and Barnstaple two of 78 locations in the UK taking part.

In Exeter, protesters will gather in Bedford Square at 11am, before marching to County Hall later, writing letters to reprensatitives urging Devon County Council to do more to tackle climate change.

(Image: AP/Francisco Seco)

They will tie the letters to gates in what will be the fifth youth climate change strike in the city this year.

And in Barnstaple, hundreds will meet at the North Devon Leisure Centre at 11am.

UK Student Climate Network, who are organising the nationwide protests, said: "On Friday 21 June, students across the UK will be striking again to protest lack of government action to combat the climate crisis.

"We will be doing this alongside students from across the globe as part of the global climate strike. On the 15th of February we had over 60 locations nationwide, March 150, April almost 70, and May over 125. Lets make sure June 21st is HUGE."

In May, around a thousands students congregated in Exeter, with similar numbers expected today.

The international movement has brought millions of young people out on strike every month since March in cities around the world.

Children as young as eight spoke when the group staged a mass sit-in at Princesshay outside H&M. The protesters lay on the ground and chalked around their outlines and wrote why they were joining the movement.

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One of the organisers, Exeter College student Sophie Sleeman from Holsworthy said they were starting to have an effect on both public opinion and policy: "Theresa May has already said that the Prime Minister after her will have to make the climate emergency their top priority. The Government has already declared a climate emergency - and that was one of our original demands."