MARCH 20: AS the country yesterday prepared to go to war, soldier's daughter Kimball Lacey led a protest of pupils calling for a halt to hostilities.

About 300 students at Lavington School - half of its pupils - took part in a peaceful protest on its playing field.

They sat down on the field to portray the CND peace symbol and some displayed posters calling for peace.

Kimball, 15, has mixed feelings about the war as her father, who is in the Royal Artillery, is in the Gulf preparing to take part in the war.

She said: "Although war is not a nice thing I don't like Saddam Hussein."

The spontaneous protest happened at 11am when pupils were due to return to lessons after a break.

Headteacher Martin Watson was happy to let the pupils air their views. They returned to classes just before noon.

Mr Watson said: "The protest was organised mainly by year ten and eleven pupils. They decided they wanted to so something and at the end of breaktime they came out on to the field and lots of other pupils followed.

"There are mixed views among pupils about whether we should be going to war. We were happy to let them give their views as we try to encourage citizenship."

Mr Watson has offered pupils the opportunity to debate the war in school.

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