CHILDREN as young as four have highlighted important environmental issues in films they produced at school.

CHILDREN as young as four have highlighted important environmental issues in films they produced at school.

More than 20 films were short listed for a glamorous awards ceremony, the NOSCARS, which saw prizes given for the top three movies in two age categories.

An audience of 300 children, teachers and parents attended the black-tie event at the Winter Gardens, Weston.

The scheme, which was set up to make youngsters more aware of the effect people’s actions can have on the environment, was endorsed by the Chief Executive of animation giant Dreamworks and by Walt Disney Motion Pictures UK.

First prize in the Key Stage One category, for children aged four to six, went to Flax Bourton Primary School whose pupils produced a film called Don’t Throw Litter.

The pupils acted out scenes where litter was thrown on the ground, which then had to be cleared up by someone else.

Locking Primary School pupils bagged second prize with their film The Sad, Sad Tale of a Tin Can, which looked at the consequences of littering. The tin can is picked up by a child who then cuts a finger. It is eventually recycled after it gets on to the school playground.

How to Help Our World was awarded third prize. Hannah More Infant School, in Nailsea, produced the film, which looked at the number of things that can be recycled, such as mobile phones, batteries and glasses.

In the Key Stage Two category, for children aged seven to 11, first prize was awarded to pupils from Becket Primary School, Worle, for their film, The Eco Slave.

Flax Bourton Primary School won its second award of the evening. The film Global Warming Will Kill Us, which looked at pollution, won second prize.

Pupils from Grove Junior School won third prize for their film Grove Children Save the Day, which also looked at the environmental consequences of littering.

A prize in the special category was awarded to pupils at Ravenswood School in Nailsea for their film R News.

Pupils from Flax Bourton provided entertainment with a rap about the environment and also a dance display titled Keep it Tidy.

Other schools which attended the ceremony were Burrington Primary School, Hillside First School in Worle, St Andrew’s Junior School in Congresbury, St Anne’s Primary School in Hewish, St Martin’s Junior School in Worle, Uphill Primary School, Walliscote Primary School in Weston and Wrington Primary School.