A rock band from Weybridge have released a new single to help raise funds for the Australian wildfires relief effort.

Five-piece You Me At Six formed in Weybridge and said money raised from new single 'The Mess We Made' will go to the charity Wires Wildlife Rescue Emergency Fund, which works to save Australia's native animals such as koalas.

Australia's wildfires have killed at least 33 people, estimated hundreds of millions of animals and destroyed more than 3,000 homes.

The Weybridge musicians recorded the single during a trip to Thailand in October 2019.

Lyrics in the song slam profiteering and posturing on the climate crisis linked to the wildfires:

"Profits with problems/Smart mouths don't want to solve them/Nobody can tell me we got a plan B worth hearing," sings 29-year-old frontman Josh Franceschi.

Franceschi described the band's motivation for making the song as a vehicle to help alleviate the devastation being caused by the climate emergency.

"In March 2019 we were coming back from a North American tour.

"I was sat talking to a geologist who was returning from a summit in Atlanta where it was confirmed that by 2050, large parts of heavily human populated areas would be uninhabitable," Franceschi said.

"He said something to me that has seemingly stuck with me: 'I'll be long gone by then, but perhaps you, your children and grandchildren will have to live with the devastation left for them by previous generations.'

"My interpretation of this is that we are all part of the problem if we aren't actively trying to do something to contribute to the issue of climate change.

"We were inspired to address the issue of climate change, but equally by the hope that the youth have given me," he added.

The Weybridge man also paid tribute to climate activists taking to the streets to protest corporate culpability and government inaction faced with the scale of the emergency:

"Never in my life have I seen a younger generation take to the streets to have their voices heard than on this subject," Franceschi said.

"They want change, they want their futures back because our house is on fire, and we must act now.

"Seeing footage of what has been happening in Australia, we felt compelled to do something to help those who are in need, both humans and wildlife. It's for that reason we are using the most powerful tool at our disposal to help, music.

"We are releasing this track as a standalone single with all proceeds donated to the charity Wires, who are committed to rescuing native Australian wildlife in distress.

"Our hearts go out to a country that means so much to us."