Schoolchildren across Brighton and Hove today walked out of classes in protest over threatened war with Iraq.

Hundreds of pupils at senior schools across the city downed pens at 11am and filed onto playing fields in peaceful protests.

Groups chanted anti-war slogans and sang peace songs. The protests were co-ordinated from school to school by pupils using mobile phones.

More than 300 children took to the school field at Blatchington Mill School, Hove, chanting "no war". Teachers tried to prevent them leaving the grounds by closing the gates in Holmes Avenue.

Most turned around, ran across the fields and left by the main entrance in Nevill Avenue instead. Traffic came to a standstill as they marched down the road towards Holmes Avenue chanting anti-war slogans.

School staff intercepted them and persuaded most of them to return although some refused to go back.

A 15-year-old, draped in the Iraqi flag and Union flag, was among those who decided to return.

He said: "I am deeply against a war with Iraq and we want to show the community how we feel about it. The school said anyone who takes part will be excluded but we were determined to let people know it's wrong to go to war."

Layth Hamzer, 16, said other students who did not join the walk-out were protesting by signing a petition against the war.

He said: "Some of the Year 11 students were organising a march from the school to Hove Town Hall but they decided to call it off. We don't want a war but Tony Blair does not want to listen to ordinary people and seems determined to go ahead."

Headmaster Neil Hunter said only a minority of the school's 1,700 students had walked out and added: "We have a small minority of mindless idiots who decided they would take advantage of the situation to have half a day off.

"There are many more serious students who will use other methods, including a petition, to show how they feel. Most of those who walked out have now returned and peace reigns once more."

Pupils at Dorothy Stringer School in Loder Road, Brighton, walked out during morning break, formed themselves into peace circles on the grass and sang protest songs. One 15-year-old pupil said about 350 children joined the walk out and added: "We're trying to stop the war. We want people to know that we don't support the bombing of Iraq.

"We've debated it in lessons and now we're taking action."

No-one from Dorothy Stringer was available for comment.

Meanwhile, angry students blockaded the Army recruitment centre in Queens Road, Brighton, to voice their opposition to war.

The demonstration was organised by Brighton University Against the War.

Organiser Chris Osmond, 22, leading the small group of protesters, said: "This demo is in response to the no-fly zones that have led to increased bombing campaigns in Iraq and the fact that Bush and Blair have asked for a new resolution.

"Even though war hasn't officially started, bombing campaigns have and we are opposed to this."