FOUR teachers from Braunton School joined strike action on Thursday as they made a picket line at the gates.

They said more would have joined the line – but they had to stay home and look after their children, whose schools were closed by the strikes.

Public sector workers went on strike for a day in protest at the government's proposals to cut public sector pensions.

Some members of the National Union of Teachers (NUT) at Braunton School formed one of the only visible protests in the region as they stood outside the school entrance on Thursday morning.

The NUT representative for the school, Tim Jones, felt it was important to make people aware of the situation in North Devon rather than watching it on the television.

The 59-year-old modern language teacher, who is retiring at the end of this academic year, said: "We need to make the point here. We toyed with the idea of going to the bigger demonstration in Exeter but we decided getting the message to local people is important."

As he was handing out leaflets to passers by with the protest details, he added: "Obviously I am luckier than some, being at the end of my career, but it is the principle of the matter which I feel strongly about.

"We don't take the action of striking lightly and none of us wanted to, especially as we know the consequences.

"More teachers would have been on the picket line but they are having to look after their children whose schools are closed for the day."

Another member of the picket line has been teaching for seven years and thinks a career change could be an option if his pension is reduced.

Alan Sparks, 33, has been teaching maths at Braunton School for the last three years.

He said: "One of the reasons I chose teaching was for the terms and conditions that came with it. You accept lower pay for the benefits such as retirement security.

"There was a balance between low pay and other benefits but it seems that is no longer the case."

Another protester, Carolyn Huelin, 54, is taking early retirement next year.

She said: "I have been teaching English for 31 years and I have given a service.

"At 54 I have no chance of finding another job so I am going to get out while I can."

Although none of the other teachers at Braunton School were taking industrial action they were not covering the striking teachers' classes.

This meant some classes were held en masse in the Isaac Hall for the day with one supervisory teacher on duty.