Students from three schools have presented petitions on local issues at Wychavon District Council's local democracy day.

Pupils from Prince Henry’s High School, Pershore High School and The De Montfort School were invited to raise community concerns in the Council Chamber.

The issues highlighted included underage sales of vapes, traffic congestion in Evesham, and making Pershore a safer place at night.

The presentations were judged by a panel, including Council Leader Cllr Chris Day, with Pershore High School achieving first place.

The students also interacted in a speed chat session with councillors from all political parties on Wychavon District Council.

Each councillor was questioned in turn for three minutes on multiple subjects.

After the session, students held an election to vote on who they thought had provided the best answers, with Cllr Rob Adams being named the victor.

Students also took part in a priority ranking workshop, ranking list of options based on which they felt should be the council’s focus.

The feedback from this workshop will contribute to developing Wychavon's new council plan.

The top priorities were health and wellbeing, traffic congestion, promoting cycling and walking, and assisting residents in need.

Wychavon has responded to all three petitions by outlining what actions they will take to address the issues.

This includes reviewing the lighting in Pershore’s Abbey Park, exploring ways to encourage more walking and cycling in Evesham, and joining with Trading Standards to address underage vape sales.

The recent event marked Wychavon's second local democracy day, designed to promote awareness of the council's work, decision-making process and the significance of voting.

Council Leader, Cllr Chris Day, said: "We were all very impressed with the quality of the presentations from all the schools and the enthusiasm and passion with which students spoke about issues that mattered to them.

"It’s vital for our democracy we inspire our young people to find out more about how decisions are made that impact their lives, and ensure they understand the importance of registering to vote and using that vote.

"I look forward to next year’s event."