A LARGE group of children stormed out of their school classroom today to stage their own demonstration against war in the Gulf.

The pupils, from the Howard School in Rainham, walked out just after 9am. As teachers struggled to get the situation under control, the students spilled into Derwent Way and besieged the surrounding streets.

Student Lee Pearson, 16, said: "I got into school and heard people saying everyone was going down to the field for an anti-war meeting. The next thing I know around 200 of us were out there."

Youngsters with the words "Stop the war" painted on their bare chests and faces, waved banners and chanted "don't attack Iraq".

Another teenager, Kris Sheppard, 16, said he felt sorry for the innocent people who would die. He said: "People who aren't involved could be killed and that's bad. There shouldn't be a war - there is no point."

A spokesman for the Howard School and Medway Council said: "People of all ages feel very strongly about this issue. For young people in particular it is the first time they've experienced being part of a country that is at war.

"However, this is not an excuse to truant. The young people at the Howard School involved will be reflecting on this with teachers and their parents. While the school and the council recognise that young people have the right to express their views, it was an inappropriate time to do so.

"Students should have been in school studying. The school has 1,650 pupils. The vast majority have been in lessons all day and it was therefore a small minority, of around 150, who were involved in today's protest.

"Medway Council wrote to all schools earlier this week. The letter advised on the range of emotions that young people could experience and offered strategies for schools to help young people at this time.

"The council worked closely with the police and the school to manage the situation because it takes community safety responsibilities very seriously. The school apologises for any disturbance to local residents."