Village swaps all its light bulbs

There are just 40 homes in the village of Ilam

Villagers have agreed to be more energy efficient by swapping their filament light bulbs for low-energy ones.

Ilam, in Staffordshire's Peak District, is thought to be the first community in the country to change all of its bulbs.

It follows government plans to phase out old-style light bulbs in favour of energy-saving ones by 2011.

Help was given by environmental charity the Marches Energy Agency after villagers contacted it to see how they could become more energy efficient.

About 40 households have taken part in the project, with about 600 low-energy light bulbs being installed.

A spokesman for Staffordshire Moorlands District Council said he hoped it would lead to other energy saving projects.

He said: "In the short-term, the next step is to ask the community what they would like to happen next and to find out how much they are willing to do."

Schemes range from putting in loft insulation or installing low-energy boilers to using a hydro-turbine on the nearby River Churnett to eventually help provide the communities power.