A village primary school has achieved a British record by being the first in the country to be powered by geothermal energy. Ffynnon Taf Primary School near Cardiff will be powered by an ancient spring which was once used by the Romans.

Taff's Well will be able to generate enough clean energy from geothermal heat to fully power the school - from running its lights to its computers. In fact, the clean energy load will be sufficient to even cook enough school dinners for all of its 200 pupils!

The naturally warm waters of the well run at 21 C consistently, and engineers will harness the heat for a reliable flow of energy for the school. The well is the only thermal spring of its kind in Wales.

By switching away from its existing gas heating system, the school will be able to slash its C02 emissions by 37 tonnes every year.

Records suggest that the Romans were using the well more than 2,000 years ago. The natural spring, which bubbles on to the River Taff, is believed to be over 5,000 years old.

The primary school will also be installing solar powers on its roof so that it can completely move away from fossil fuels and become a cutting-edge eco-school. The same well will also power the adjoining park and its pavilion.

The project came about after a local geologist from the Friends of Taff’s Well Park saw the school and park next to the spring and had a brainwave about its potential use. A feasibility study confirmed that the project could go ahead.

The council will approve £300,000 of investment to take the scheme forward, with consultants confirming that the spring's heat is sufficient to heat both the school and the park pavilion.