The necessity and productivity of climate change protests will be debated by students.

Eight schools from across Epping will be represented at this year’s Epping Forest Schools Parliamentary Debating Competition being held by Epping Forest MP Dame Eleanor Laing on Friday, November 15.

The motion to be debated is: "This house believes that mass protests about climate change are unnecessary and counterproductive as the danger to the planet has already been recognised”.

Debden Park, West Hatch, Epping St John’s, Chigwell, Davenant, King Harold, Roding Valley and Braeside - are taking part this year with the competition being held at Debden Park High School in Loughton.

Debden Park’s team of Year 11 students Max Bolton and Amelie Ashton won last year’s competition with an impassioned defence of the existence of global warming.

West Hatch High School’s team of Year 12 students Hannah Saunders and Luke Drummond-Poynter were runners-up while a prize for the most promising newcomer was awarded to Epping St John's School student Lewis Martin.

This year, the teams from Debden Park, West Hatch, Epping St John’s and Chigwell will be speaking for the motion with Davenant, King Harold, Roding Valley and Braeside speaking against the motion.