It's war as Bush orders attacks on 'selective' military targets in Baghdad

The children left Nunnery Wood High School, on Spetchley Road, at around 10.45am yesterday and walked through the city, past the Elgar Statue before gathering next to the railway bridge which crosses the River Severn.

Their headteacher Alun Williams, accompanied by several police officers, arrived later to usher the students back to school.

Their protest came as hundreds of students demonstrated in cities across Britain. Three thousand youngsters attended a rally in Birmingham, which became violent as sections of the crowd threw missiles at police.

The Nunnery Wood students, who cannot be named for legal reasons, chanted "We shall not be moved" and all cheered when a photographer from the Evening News came to take a picture of the scene.

They all spoke emphatically about their opposition to any war but were quick to point out that they were not simply trying to skip school.

"People think the that kids should follow the adults and do what they say," said one 13-year-old girl, "Children have a right to their opinions."

The students also spoke of their fear about how a war could lead to terrorist attacks on Britain and said that as the younger generation they were the ones who were going to be affected by what happened.

"If this is the only way to make people listen then we will do it," said another 14-year-old-girl.

"We are sorry if we caused any trouble but we wanted to get our point across," another pupil said.

Headteacher Mr Williams arrived at the scene of the protest an hour later to take the pupils back to school.

"We criticise young people a lot for their failure to engage in politics," said Mr Williams, "On one hand it is good to see them engage in issues.

"But walking out of school is not the way to do it. It is not acceptable and it is an inappropriate way to express their views."

There were other more acceptable and legitimate ways the students could protest, such as petitions and writing letters, he said.

"I am very disappointed that they have done this," he added

Several police officers called to the scene were there "for safety reasons", said Chief Inspector Howard Owen, of Worcester Police.

"It is good to now that our young people are so aware, however the best place for them to be is in school," he said.

Pupils at the Blessed Edward School Oldcorne School, on Timberdine Avenue, also staged a small protest at the beginning of the school day yesterday and another during break time.

Students of Bishop Perowne School, on Merrimans Hill Road, were today planning to hold a public debate, on the rugby pitch from 12.45pm.

Walk-out call

ANTI-war protesters armed with placards are set to take to Worcester's city centre streets later today to show their opposition to conflict in Iraq.

Worcester's Stop the War Coalition is urging anyone dissatisfied with military action to rally at Elgar's statue.

Branch chairman Rob Menzies said he had wanted people to walk out of work, en-mass, this morning, in a bid to "stop this war machine".

"I said that once the first bombs had dropped that I would be walking out of work," said the social worker.

"If people have the same strength of feeling I urge them to do the same, but obviously we do not want people to put their jobs at risk."

Stop the War group secretary Isabel Swift urged its hundreds of members and anyone dissatisfied with war to focus at the High Street statue at 6pm.

"Some people will be leaving work to protest by the statue all day," she said.

"But the main demonstration will be at 6pm. We want everyone in Worcester against war to use their feet and show their strength of feeling."

Click here for War on Iraq coverage