A group of children from Shapinsay Community School have come up with a creative way to help cut energy consumption.

Led by their friends from the Rainbows and the Brownies, the pupils have created "Tweak my Beak" energy saving owls which they have fitted over light switches throughout the building.

With the switch protruding through the owl's beak, the birds provide a colourful reminder that a quick tweak will turn off the lights, reducing the school's energy consumption and cutting its fuel bills.

"Like all the best ideas, it's nice and simple," said head teacher Clive Horton.

"The school doubles up as a community centre for the island and, with the owls in place throughout the building, it's helping us all do something positive about climate change."

The children's work - together with projects run in three other schools - all feature in the current issue of a region-wide magazine Let's Talk Renewables. Published by Highlands & Islands Enterprise the magazine gives tips on saving energy, explores some pioneering projects in the region and discovers what local people are doing to help reduce carbon emissions.

It is part of a year-long campaign being run by the development agency to deepen understanding of renewable energy.

Elaine Hanton, Head of Renewables at HIE says: "It's been inspiring to hear stories of what people of all ages are doing in the Highlands and Islands to save energy, cut waste and discover greener, cleaner sources of energy.

"What the children at Shapinsay are doing is a terrific example of the small differences all of us can make to help cut carbon emissions."

Shapinsay was the first in Orkney to gain a silver award under the Eco Schools Programme.

More than 2,500 schools in Scotland have signed up for this international initiative, which helps staff and pupils find ways to address a range of environmental challenges.

As well as carrying out an energy audit and power saving campaign, the Shapinsay children helped plant more than 600 trees close to the school.

The school's eco committee, made up of pupils, teachers, parents and members of the wider community, meets each term to discuss new ideas and is currently investigating the possibility of generating power using a wind turbine.

"We think it could save us between £4,000 and £6,000 a year in energy costs," Clive added.