A MUM has taken her teenage son out of lessons at Middlewich High School today to join students mounting a global climate strike.

Michelle Parsons, 37, and her 13-year-old son Ewan are staging a protest outside Middlewich Town Hall - in support of hundreds of thousands of children and young people all over the world.

Organisers expect more than one million young people in at least 110 countries will walk out of school today calling on politicians and businesses to take urgent action to slow global warming.

"I asked Ewan if he wanted to do it, I didn't make the decision for him," said mum-of-two Michelle, from Middlewich, who works as a life coach, mentor and consultant for people with autism and ADHD.

"Ewan is very interested in climate change. We often talk about it and watch programmes.

"As far as I know we are the only people in Middlewich doing this. We are not experts, we are quiet people who are worried about the future."

Ewan made posters and the pair plan to mount their protest for several hours.

"I think it is a good idea to mobilise a small town like Middlewich to get people talking about it," said Michelle, who is a member of the Green Party. "I hope to get people to join us and put more pressure on the government to show our strength of feeling.

"We've only got 12 years to make changes."

Northwich Guardian:

Ewan Parsons, 13, and his mum Michelle, 37, join the global climate protest outside Middlewich Town Hall

Last year, the UN's leading scientists warned that there were just 12 years to limit climate catastrophe.

Michelle informed Middlewich High School why she was taking Ewan out of lessons this morning and was told it would be recorded as an unauthorised absence.

She said she is prepared to take him out of lessons again and take part in future strikes.

"What is the point of education if potentially in a few decades natural disasters happen," she said. "I am worried about the future of my children and grandchildren. We'll be dead and gone, they'll be the ones inheriting this.

"We can't just stand back and do nothing or things will snowball and we will have a crisis.

"I've got Asperger's and think things logically. How can it be more important to stay in lessons than save the planet? One is more important that the other."

Michelle has fibromyalgia and chronic fatigue syndrome.

"I struggle with having the energy and capacity to live out ways to tackle climate change at home but I do what I can," she said. "We've cut down on plastic and recycle. I'm part-time vegan and vegetarian and try and reduce meat and dairy as much as possible.

"We do still eat meat, we can't be perfect. The little bit that everyone can do will raise awareness.

"The whole point of this strike is for children to show how strongly they feel about climate change and put pressure on the government to take urgent action."

The strikes were inspired by Swedish teenager Greta Thunberg, who has become a global figurehead since protesting outside Sweden's parliament last year.

The 15-year-old refused to attend classes until Swedish politicians took action.