High Court fight over no-sex ring school ban

Lydia Playfoot says it is a vital part of her faith - a sign she will abstain from sex until marriage.

She claims her secondary school, which allows Muslim and Sikh students to wear headscarfs and religious bracelets, is breaching her human rights by banning it.

Lydia, who goes to Millais School in Horsham, West Sussex, said: "It says I'm going to stay sexually pure until I'm married. In the Bible it says you should remain sexually pure and I think this is a way I want to express my faith."

Her father Phil, a pastor at Kings Church in Horsham, said: "She's not living out our beliefs or wishes, it's something she wants to do for herself. I think she represents thousands of young people around the world who have made a similar commitment."

Lydia is one of a group of pupils at the school who want to wear the silver ring which is engraved with a biblical inscription.

But the school says it breaks its ban on pupils wearing jewellery. The non-denominational school also argues the ring is not an integral part of her faith. She has not worn the ring in classes since April but is taking the case to court so that they did not "think that they had won". Her legal fight is being funded by friends and individual donors.

Last year BA backed down after banning a member of staff from wearing a crucifix on a chain at Heathrow.

The Appeal Court upheld a ban on Muslim Shabina Begum wearing a jilbab at her London school.