LANCASHIRE schools are to get an £8million war chest to make their schools greener.

Both primary and secondary schools across the county will get the cash as part of a national Department of Education and Skills drive to make them more energy efficient.

Schools in the Lancashire County Council catchment area will have a kitty of £8.6million between them.

The cash is designed to create what the government has dubbed "sustainable schools" and the money can be used for anything from modernising kitchens to providing proper lagging on pipes.

It is hoped the cash will see schools slash utility bills and have kitchens capable of providing healthy school meals.

The money comes on the back of statistics which reveal five million tonnes of carbon dioxide are released each year from gas and electricity use in schools.