Students and teachers have condemned their classmates who walked out of a school in an anti-war protest.

They say the demonstration by 300 pupils at Blatchington Mill School, Hove, was pointless and claim it achieved nothing because it was not properly organised.

Traffic in nearby streets was brought to a standstill as the demonstrators poured out of the school gates yesterday.

The majority of the school's 1,700 pupils refused to join and backed other forms of protest against a war with Iraq.

At a later Press conference they pointed out that almost 600 students had signed a petition - twice as many as had walked out.

Lianna Reynolds, 15, said: "We collected the signatures in two hours and more will sign in the next few days before we send it to Tony Blair."

Ruth King, deputy head, said students were warned they could face exclusion if they walked out, but that most returned when stopped by staff.

She said: "There will be meetings to decide what action should be taken against those who did not come back."

University students also staged a protest yesterday when they blockaded an army recruitment centre.