A PRIVATE school in York is leading the way to a greener future by fuelling a car on vegetable oil from their kitchen.

About 100 litres of vegetable oil used to cook food for pupils at the Mount School each week is taken away for processing - and some of it ends up back at school in the tank of the car run by marketing manager Stuart Taylor.

ID Oils, in Malton Road, York, refines the oil made from oil seed rape and turns it into bio-diesel used to power Mr Taylor's camper van and Toyota four-wheel drive car.

Mr Taylor brought his car in to show pupils as part of an eco-day.

He said: "I can fill my cars up on bio diesel for 75.9p a litre as opposed to normal diesel, which is about 90p at most garages, plus you get seven per cent more miles to the gallon and you are not harming the environment into the bargain."

Mary Woollen, the school's catering manager, said it was school policy to try to be as environmentally conscious as possible.

That meant not only recycling the oil, but buying plastic cups that can be reused and not thrown away into landfills, and using napkins made from recycled paper.

Mrs Woollen said: "The kids thoroughly enjoyed learning all about how to be more environmentally aware.

"We provided them with healthy eating sandwiches and fruit and the biscuits on offer were all fair trade.

"I think recycling is a great idea. We try our best here to recycle and re-use things and that includes our kitchen oil."

Sally Parker, of ID Oils, said: "We originally started out making bio-diesel for use in our own vehicles on the farm and then we started taking the oil in from businesses and it has just grown and grown.

"The Mount is one of several businesses we take waste oil from and, to be honest, supply has outstripped demand.

"Bio-diesel is environmentally friendly because it is renewable."

Updated: 11:57 Monday, July 18, 2005