But he won't be ordering his ermine robes just yet, as his elevation was only temporary, being one of a four-strong West Sussex delegation attending the first meeting to be held in Parliament of the UK Youth Parliament.

Kyran was joined by James Collins, 19, of Chichester, Lee Cousins, 17, of Crawley and Luke Polie, 12, of Horsham, all members of the West Sussex County Council Youth Cabinet, which elected them to the Youth Parliament.

Kyran said: "Although many of the UK Parliament are not old enough to vote in local and general elections, this does not mean we have to sit in silence.

"We have the right to have our voices heard – and that's exactly what the members of Youth Parliament did when they invaded the House of Lords. After all young people are not just the future but we are also today."

Among the issues debated by the Youth Parliament were national public transport concession cards for under-18s, university tuition fees, lowering the voting age to 16, and recycling and the environment.

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