A GRANDFATHER with 17 grandchildren stood outside for hours to raise awareness about global warming to help preserve young people’s future.

Michael Pulham, from Waldron, stood in Heathfield High Street for five hours with his placard saying “Save our children from global heating”.

The 82-year-old said he could not sit back and wanted to join the national effort to protect the planet and its future population.

His wife, Patricia, 81, joined him in the mission to spread the message and gather signatures to pressure their local MP to do more to counter global warming.

Mr Pulham said: “We have seven children and 17 grandchildren and have helped 25 foster babies for up to about six months at a time and we want to do all we can to protect their future.

“A lot old people are very concerned about the future of the planet, even though we won’t be alive.”

Many took to the streets of major UK cities and students left their classrooms to protest and raise awareness about climate change and demand action, including in Brighton and Hove and London.

Mr Pulham said he wanted to do his bit on the day and join in with the schoolchildren in the national protest.

He said: “I don’t know if there was anything organised in the area, but we certainly had a good response in the high street.

“We managed to fill two whole pages of signatures which probably adds up to about 40 or 50.

“We will be presenting these to our local MP, Nus Ghani, to try and encourage her to put more pressure on the Government to stand against global heating.”

The proud grandfather said he feels so fortunate to be part of a “wonderful and loving” family and wants to join in the effort to protect their futures.

He said: “We are so lucky to have this incredible family and to have each other.

“If my children and their children and their children suffered in the future they would just think ‘why didn’t anyone do anything about this?’

“It is also not just about the people but the wildlife.

“This is about protecting the future of the animals as well.

“We have a responsibility to do that.”

Thousands of youngsters went on strike from schools in Brighton and Hove and around the country on February 15 as part of a global youth action over climate change.

Protesters in the city gathered at the Clock Tower in the morning and marched in their thousands to The Level where Brighton Pavilion Green MP Caroline Lucas spoke to the crowd.

Three days later climate demonstrators blocked roads outside London Fashion Week on Sunday to protest against the “unsustainable” industry.

More than 100 campaigners joined the Extinction Rebellion group’s disruption march as they urged fashion brands to tackle a global “ecological emergency”.

Demonstrations began when a small crowd rallied outside Victoria Beckham’s morning event at the Tate Britain and blocked Fashion Week cars travelling to the show.