CYCLIST VICTORIA FASHIONS A CHANGE TO GREEN.

OLYMPIC gold medalist Victoria Pendleton is swapping cycling Lycra for recycled haute couture in a bid to encourage people to live more sustainable lives.

The stylish design by Wayne Hemmingway is based on a green Union Flag and made entirely from recycled materials.

Pendleton will wear the creation on the first Green Britain Day, which aims to inspire Britons to cut the UK's carbon footprint in time for the London 2012 Olympic and Paralympic Games.

The hope is people will "do something green for the team" on July 10 and sign-up to Team Green Britain, a website which carries examples of ways to cut carbon emissions.

Ms Pendleton is supporting the initiative along with Olympic team mates including rower James Cracknell, swimmer Eleanor Simmonds, who is Britain's youngest Paralympic gold medallist, rower Tom James and gymnast Louis Smith.

The day will culminate in a concert at The Eden Project in Cornwall starring Paul Weller and Florence and the Machine.

London 2012 chairman Lord Coe and double Olympic rowing champion Cracknell will today be taking the ecopledge to schoolchildren who have already made a start on trying to be greener.

They are visiting the Southwold Primary School in Hackney, London, whose efforts include a vegetable patch where the school harvests its own crops.

The youngsters also have environmental role models through a special school council and eco-committee set up for the children. Teachers and pupils are currently collecting 'Green Feet' pledges with ideas on how they plan to take action against climate change..

CAPTION(S):

GOING GREEN Victoria Pendleton wearing a design by Wayne Hemmingway.