Thousands of young people join climate strikes across the south

• WATCH: Climate strikers fill the streets of Brighton

Thousands of young people are protesting across the south, as part of global climate strikes.

Children and young people have walked out of lessons, with hundreds of thousands of workers expected to join them nationally.

In Bournemouth, students and young people gathered in the Town Square.

Large crowds gathered in Oxford, marching through the city centre.

At Guildhall Square in Southampton, Extinction Rebellion held a funeral for the Earth and led protestors.

The government says while it supports the "energy and creativity" or students, time spent in school is "incredibly important."

The strikes fall as temperatures could hit 26C in parts of the UK, 8C above the average for this time of year.

• WATCH: Climate strikers from Bournemouth and Brighton tell us why they're marching

• Global climate strikes expected to be largest environmental protest in history

The UK Student Climate Network (UKSCN) says more than 200 events are taking place across the UK, with adults being encouraged to join the striking youngsters for the first time.

UKSCN is calling on politicians to bring in a "Green New Deal" to cut the UK's emissions to zero and improve lives, changes to education to equip youngsters to deal with the climate crisis and votes at 16 to give them a voice.