PUPILS at Ladygrove Park Primary School in Didcot switched on their new energy-saving solar panels with the help of their sun-loving friend, Sunny Solar.

The £20,000 panels were installed and funded by the Co-operative Group, who sent their climate-change character along to help.

The 24 panels will generate enough power each year to run a school computer for 33,000 hours or make 180,000 cups of tea. It will save about two tonnes of carbon dioxide emissions.

Pupils can keep track of how much renewable energy they are generating and how much carbon dioxide they are saving by checking a special monitor.

Liam Panchaud, 11, from Didcot, said: "I think it's good that we are using solar energy because we have already saved 150kg of CO2 emissions.

"It's great that the school is doing something to help the environment."

The 420-pupil school in Avon Way is one of 100 schools across the UK to receive the panels.

Pupils at Ladygrove Primary School, Didcot, including Charlotte Peirson, front, with solar panels and Lyn Martin as Sunny Solar.