A team of pupils from Sandwick Junior High School have been hailed as the Highlands and Islands' top young renewable energy experts, after the Scottish Parliament played host to the thrilling conclusion to this year's Big Green Challenge debating competition.

The grand final of the competition, which is organised by Highlands and Islands Enterprise (HIE), saw teams from Sandwick Junior High School (Shetland), Arran High School (Isle of Arran), Gairloch High School (Wester Ross) and Portree High School (Isle of Skye) going head-to-head. All four teams had made it through two previous heats to make it to Holyrood.

Pupils Ceidiog Saxelby, Joe Christie and Saibh Finlayson successfully fought off the competition to take the title. They have been supported all the way by their teacher, Donald Murray.

The winners are set to visit the famous Blue Lagoon and the geothermal area of Geysir. The runners-up, Portree High School, won a trip to the Eden Project in Cornwall, whose domes make up the world's largest greenhouse.

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Donald Murray said: "Both teachers and pupils have learned a great deal about energy and power from taking part in these debates. Most of all, however, we learned about the energy and power of young people and how much events like the Big Green Challenge can generate these forces for the benefit al all."

Portree High School were judged runners-up.

William Roe, chair of Highlands and Islands Enterprise who also chaired the judging panel, also said: "It's really important that we get everyone in our region involved in the renewables debate. The Big Green Challenge is an important part of our work to raise awareness of the significant role that renewable energy is playing in terms of economic growth and community development across the Highlands and Islands and the rest of Scotland."

The event was hosted by BBC broadcaster Cathy MacDonald and judged by a panel of industry experts, made up of Jason Ormiston of Scottish Renewables, Amanda Bryan of Scottish Natural Heritage, environmental journalist Bruce Whitehead, and William Roe of Highlands and Islands Enterprise.

Jason Ormiston said: "We were looking for a team that debated well and also had an excellent grasp of the challenges facing our planet and the role that renewable energy can play as part of the solution.

"It was a tough decision, as all of the finalists were exemplary, and it was personally a salutary reminder that we have an obligation to face down the great environmental challenges of our time so that the children and young adults of today do not have to pay for the mistakes of yesterday."

(GK/JM)