YOUNGSTERS are heading to Downing Street to lobby the Chancellor of the Exchequer about funding for education in rural Indian villages.

A class from Teesside Prep School, in Eaglescliffe, will visit London next month after a project last year.

The girls from year five have been invited to Downing Street by Stockton South MP Dari Taylor, who was impressed by their work on a project on schoolchildren in villages in India, which they carried out during Education Action Week.

She was delighted to see how seriously the class took the issue of education in developing countries, and promised them to take their message to Downing Street.

An invitation has been issued for the girls to meet Chancellor Gordon Brown on February 10 to discuss the issues.

Headteacher Hilary French said: "The girls are very excited about the visit.

"It is very important for children in this country to realise the importance of education and the implication of a life without the chance to learn.

"The project has involved our pupils with other children worldwide to make a difference, and now they have the chance to lobby the Chancellor about funds to help solve the problem."