INSPIRING teenagers took to the WOMAD stage to debate Britain’s most pressing environmental challenges over the festival weekend.

Four secondary school students were named Young Green Briton Champions by Ecotricity, the company behind the competition.

Panellist Noella Usborne, 15, from Thomas Keeble School in Eastcombe, represented food putting forward her views on the key issues facing the world today.

She brought up problems including over fishing, intensive farming and monoculture, bees and consumerism.

During the debate she said: “I think one of our main issue is ignorance, not stupidity.

“A lot of people are just are not aware of these issues.

“So one of my first ideas is to start an awareness campaign based on one simple thought provoking question: ‘Where is your food coming from? Is it worth it?’”

The debate was chaired by TV news presenter Jon Snow who Noella met beforehand.

“It was scary,” she said.

“But I had a talk with Jon Snow before which made me less intimidated of him, half of the reason I was intimidated was because I would be sitting next to him.

“Chatting to him made me feel like he was just a normal guy and once I got talking I felt a bit more confident.”

Ecotricity has been in touch with Noella since the debate to look into how they might be able to collaborate in the future.