There will be a bit of drama at a Leyland primary school on Monday when pupils take part in an environmental theatre workshop as part of a tour of schools chosen to receive free solar panels with funding from The Co-operative.

Twisting Yarn Theatre’s interactive play, The Crow Scarers, has been commissioned by The Co-operative as part of its Green Energy for Schools scheme and will build on the climate change work taking place at Farington Primary School, Rose Street, following the switch-on of the solar panels in February.

The Rose Street is among 100 UK schools to have already received £20,000 solar panels, which are half-funded by The Co-operative with match-funding from the Government’s Low Carbon Building Programme (LCBP).

A further 80 schools will receive grants for renewable energy technology over the next year as part of the second phase of The Co-operative’s £2m scheme.

The play, written by Andy Rashleigh, is aimed at primary school pupils and shows how the environment has been affected by the different ways the land has been used in the past.

It follows the story of two children who fall through an old mineshaft while looking at a scarecrow in a field and end up travelling back in time during an underground adventure.

Pupils will provide the props for the performance by making their own crows from recycled materials.

The Co-operative’s community and campaigns manager Melanie Phillips said: “The aim of our Green Energy for Schools scheme is to help schools reduce their reliance on fossil fuels while educating the next generation about climate change.

“By following-up the installation of the solar panels with this lively and colourful theatre workshop, we can hopefully inspire the children to think about other ways they can help the environment.”

Headteacher Joanne Ramsbottom added: “We are very grateful to The Co-operative for giving our pupils this opportunity to learn about the environment in a fun, creative way.

"Our solar panels provide us with a prominent reminder of the need to conserve energy and this theatre workshop will build on the work we are already doing to help tackle climate change.”