TEACHERS left their classrooms and gathered this morning in Southampton in a one day walk out over pay and conditions.

Almost 200 teachers staged a rally at Guildhall Square to protest at governments plans to change their spy structure, pension contributions and increasing workload.

The crowd heard from members of the National Union of Teachers who address the crowd underlining reasons for the strike.

As previously reported, some 20,000 pupils will not be at schools in Southampton and Hampshire today as a result of the industrial action.

Caroline Rand, from Richard Taunton college, came to the rally with husband Bernard and their dog Mutley.

She said:"It is the cuts that are made to sixth firm colleges impact it is having on students education that is the reason I am on strike today. I am sick of it."

Daily Echo:

Thornhill Primary School teachers