Pupils protested on a Saturday so they did not miss school

Anxious to avoid recent criticism of youngsters who have played truant in order to protest, the teenagers held their demonstration on Saturday afternoon.

They spent several hours waving banners and shouting anti-war slogans outside Bath Abbey - puzzling many foreign tourists.

The protest's organiser, 16-year-old Holly Piper from Hayesfield School, wrote, e-mailed and phoned other schools in the city to drum up support for the rally.

The students wrote anti-war messages on the pavement

She said: "There have been so many students walking out recently and they have been given such bad press, put down by people saying they are only doing it to get out of lessons.

"We need to show that we can form our own opinions and we can show them responsibly - that is why we are protesting on a Saturday."

A fellow demonstrator said: "Students may not have the vote, but we have our own opinions and we want to show that we are so opposed to this war."

Another student added: "We want to voice our opinions in the most responsible way possible - we cannot vote so this is the only way to make our voices heard."