A VILLAGE school is aiming to be the first in Suffolk that not only makes its own energy, but gets paid for it too.Pupils at Ellingham Primary, near Beccles, came up with the idea of putting up a wind turbine in their playing field, even holding a meeting to explain the plans to local residents.

A VILLAGE school is aiming to be the first in Suffolk that not only makes its own energy, but gets paid for it too.

Pupils at Ellingham Primary, near Beccles, came up with the idea of putting up a wind turbine in their playing field, even holding a meeting to explain the plans to local residents.

And yesterday they were given the first piece of funding for the £24,000 turbine - £5,670 from the Broads Authority. Half the total cost is coming from the Department of Trade and Industry, and the rest from Powergen. The 12-metre high turbine is due to go up over the next month.

Although the school will use electricity from the National Grid when the wind does not blow, it will give it back at weekends and during school holidays, so that overall the turbine should cover all the school's energy needs and make £300 a year in profit as well.

Hadleigh Primary School already has a wind turbine, but Ellingham's is a first in the region for being able to power to whole school.

Jane Wells, the school's eco co-ordinator, said: “It will make a big difference to us in becoming a sustainable community and environment. If we make money as well that is the icing on the cake. And we will integrate it into our curriculum work.”

Allister Maguire-Buck, 10, said: “We know that when we get it we will finally be able to really completely - or most of the time - make our own environmentally friendly energy.”

Lucy Rutzen, 11, said: “I think it will set a good example to other people around here and hopefully make them realise that we are trying to do something, so they can do something.”