A robot made out of recycled waste materials has been teaching schoolchildren how to be more environmentally-friendly.

Cycler the Rapping Robot has been visiting schools in the Arun district to promote the importance of the three Rs - reduce, reuse, recycle.

Arun recycles 12.5 per cent of its household rubbish at present but to meet government targets set for the district that figure must rise to 28 per cent by 2003/04 and 36 per cent by 2005/06.

The visits from Cycler were organised by Arun District Council as part of the schools education programme.

The programme also includes classroom sessions, education packs and roadshows at school summer fetes.

The aim is to give knowledge of the three Rs to children, who may then pass it on to their parents.

Schools which have taken part have included Connaught Junior, Elm Grove Infants and Flora McDonald Junior, all in Littlehampton, and Summerlea in Rustington.

Many of the schools also enjoyed a classroom session on recycling and rubbish disposal.