A school in Truro has won over £30,000 worth of solar panels, due to be installed next week.

Tregony School is the first winner of the MySolar School competition, part of a £15 million give-away by British Gas to provide solar energy to UK schools.

The 100 solar panels will provide up to 20 per cent of the school's electricity and reduce its carbon emissions by an estimated 7.4 tonnes per year.

"We are already committed to helping the environment. We recycle regularly and grow our own vegetables and flowers that are sold in shops throughout the community," said Mark Weir, Headteacher at Tregony School.

"Having the panels installed will enable pupils to become more aware of the importance of being energy efficient."

Money generated from the panels through the government's Clean Energy Cashback scheme will be reinvested by the British Gas Energy For Tomorrow Trust, a 'not for profit' trust fund established by British Gas to invest in low carbon projects in the UK.

Jon Kimber, Managing Director of British Gas New Energy said: "This is the biggest investment of its kind in solar technology for our nation's schools and the electricity generated by winning schools will help pay for the scheme to be extended to even more schools throughout the country."