GOVERNORS and politicians are rallying behind a headteacher who is sending body pierced children home for blatantly flouting school rules.

A row has erupted in Christchurch after 13 year-old Rachael Smith was sent home from the Grange School three days running for refusing to remove her nose stud.

Her heavily-pierced parents Dave and Ellie are backing her stance and are keeping her at home until the school lets her keep her nose stud in.

But governors and councillors of the Grange School and ward say parents sign up to the rules of the school and should stick to them.

Ward member and school governor, Cllr Christine Payne, said: "When parents agree to send their children to the school they sign up to the rules and regulations about uniform and jewellery.

"They should not take the law into their own hands by allowing their children to break the rules."

Fellow ward councillor Mike Peirce said the piercing issue has even reached Somerford Infants where he is a governor.

"Our rules state that children should only where simple stud earrings but we've had children come in with big hoop earrings," he said.

"It is potentially very dangerous and we cannot let these children take part in any games or PE in case they hurt themselves.

"If a child is injured through an earring or nose ring is the school protected?

But Rachael's dad Dave remains unperturbed: "I will send her to school every morning but if they send her home, then she's staying home. I'm prepared to do this until the school backs down.

"I've told the school I will not make my daughter remove the stud.

"I'm a builder and I'm allowed to keep my studs and rings in. In the workplace people don't bat an eyelid, so why should schools?"

Both Dave and Ellie's faces are heavily pierced. Their sons, Connor, two, and Jordan, four, also have pierced ears. Jordan goes to Somerford Infants and the school has asked his parents to remove his large hoop earring.

Headteacher at the Grange, Adrian Cooke, said: "We have a school policy of no body piercing other than simple ear studs.

"Last term we had a small number of students wearing body piercing jewellery and I wrote to all parents reminding them of the policy.

"I explained that as from January 2002 any student wearing body piercing jewellery would be asked to remove it.

"If they refused they would be instructed to go home to remove it and return to school.

"So far as I'm aware all students with one exception have complied with the rule," he added.