ENVIRONMENTAL messages to world leaders will be sent from Worcestershire following the successful Earth Summit at County Hall last Saturday (July 6).

A special collage and mural was created by schoolchildren, and adult workshops drew up messages to be sent to Tony Blair before the Johannesburg Earth Summit next month. The messages will also be sent directly to Michael Meacher, Margaret Beckett and Jonathon -Porritt who will be representing Britain alongside the Prime Minister.

The County Council event brought together environmental experts from around the county for seminars, workshops and presentations on sustainable development.

Councillor John Smith, of Hampton, assistant county spokesman for the environment and sustainability, said: "Th day was a great success and brought up some crucial issues in interesting and informative ways. There was a good mix of serious information and entertaining displays, and the organisers deserve our congratulations."

He added: "I sincerely hope that the messages from Worcestershire's children will strike a chord with world leaders at the Johannesburg Earth Summit and help them to move in the right direction. Environmental matters are inevitably complicated, especially on a world-wide scale, but we all know how adept children can be at pointing out the obvious things that we sometimes can't see.

"We'll also be displaying the messages at local libraries and at county hall for the benefit of people closer to home."