ANGER at runaway climate change battled with determination to do something about it as teenagers from secondary schools across York debated the future of the world they're growing up in.

York this summer experienced its hottest temperature on record, pointed out Simeon Dean from Archbishop Holgate's School.

Yet a small city like York trying to help by becoming carbon neutral was like 'putting a wet paper towel on a broken leg,' he said.

His classmate Hannah Birkenshaw remained optimistic, however - and determined York should play its part.

With its electric scooters, tree-planting and eco-developments like Derwenthorpe, it was already one of the UK's greenest cities, she said. "York can be and should be a beacon of hope!"

The environment was just one of several topics up for discussion at Wednesday evening's annual secondary school public speaking competition organised by York Civic Trust at the Merchant Adventurers' Hall.

But the extent to which the climate crisis worries York's young people was evident from the fact teenager after teenager returned to the topic.

Helena Burr and Anna Brain from St Peter's School warned that air pollution was killing people, and called for better public transport to reduce car use.

Elspeth Pulleyn and Sienna Starkey from Joseph Rowntree School, meanwhile, argued that as a beautiful heritage city with a global reputation, York had a responsibility to take action.

"Bystanding is not an option!" they said.

The other big topic of discussion was lockdown - and whether it had demonstrated that it was better for children to learn online from home than have to go into school.

There were plenty of benefits to home learning, many agreed. "You don't have to wear a manky school uniform, for one!" joked Ava Roberts from Millthorpe.

But there were disadvantages, too, added her classmate Oscar Keefe. "If my mum knocked on my door one more time, I was going to lose it!"

Overall, teenagers agreed the benefits of returning to school outweighed the disadvantages.

School wasn't just about learning, pointed out Lucy Kitchen and Mabel Bannister from Huntington School. "It's a safe place for young people to socialise. Many were isolated during lockdown. Zoom lacks the personal touch!"

While most teenagers debated climate change and lockdown, it was the question of who most deserved a new statue in York that won The Mount School's Amelia Murgatroyd and Katie James the title of 2022 secondary school public speaking champions.

The pair joked around, Amelia claiming she deserved a statue herself for looking after her neighbour's dog. "He's kind of chubby, and doesn't go out enough!" she said.

"The dog, or your neighbour?" Katie asked.

A statue of the current prime minister wouldn't work, the pair agreed - some PMs didn't last very long...

Eventually, they agreed the two most worthy candidates were the medieval Archbishop of York Walter de Gray, who commissioned the Minster, and Joseph Rowntree.

They put it to an audience vote - and Rowntree won hands down.

City council please take note...