THE actress who plays Harry Potter’s on-screen girlfriend is to address thousands of campaigners at a climate change rally in the Capital.

Scottish star Katie Leung, 19, will take to the stage in the Meadows as part of the Cut the Carbon event later this month.

Katie – who plays the schoolboy wizard’s feisty girlfriend Cho Chang in the new Harry Potter movie – will be joined by pop singer Amy Macdonald and award-winning saxophonist Soweto Kinch.

The rally forms part of the UK’s longest-ever protest march, which will see 20 walkers make the 1000-mile journey from Northern Ireland to London, via many UK towns and cities.

The protesters, highlighting the effect of climate change on some of the world’s poorest countries, will stop off in Edinburgh on July 21st.

Up to 2000 people will then join them in a march through the Capital, taking in Castle Street, Princes Street, the Mound, George IV Bridge and finishing in the Meadows for the rally.

Christian Aid, who have organised the event with Stop Climate Chaos Scotland, hope around 3000 people will turn up at the event to show their support.

Miss Leung, who is also speaking on the issue at T in the Park this weekend, said: “The Christian Aid rally is doing something really important – highlighting what climate change is doing to the world’s poorest countries.”

One of the other speakers is Mike Robinson, head of development at the Royal Botanic Gardens and chair of the Stop Climate Chaos Scotland coalition.

He hopes the rally will do more than just increase awareness – he wants to encourage people to carry out simple methods to cut their carbon emissions.

He said: “I think It’s important that we’re not just telling people that it’s happening, that we are also telling them what to do about it.

“There are so many simple things that we can do, including car sharing and buying food from local producers. Edinburgh has a very strong core of people who are determined to take responsibility for their own actions when it comes to climate change, but who are also prepared to challenge government to do more too.

“I’m really excited about the Cut the Carbon rally. It offers a chance for people in Edinburgh to join together and show the world that we can’t just sit around waiting for something to happen, we need to cut our emissions now.”

Becky Campbell, a 21-year-old student at Edinburgh College of Art, is another local supporter of the cause, and organised an exhibition to raise awareness of the forthcoming rally.

She said: “It really did make people think about climate change and got people interested in the rally and I think more people will get involved in the rally after seeing the exhibition.”

The march through the city leaves from Castle Street at 3pm and the rally in the Meadows starts at 4.30pm on July 21st.