A spokesman for Cheshire County Council said ''''Educating children in the beliefs of different faiths is part of Cheshire''''s diversity curriculum''''
It was claimed that the boys, from a year seven class of 11 and 12-year-olds, were given detention after refusing to take part in a practical demonstration of how Allah is worshipped.

Yesterday parents accused the school of breaching their human rights by forcing them to take part in the exercise.

One, Sharon Luinen, said: "This isn''''t right, it''''s taking things too far. I understand that they have to learn about other religions. I can live with that but it is taking it a step too far to be punished because they wouldn''''t join in Muslim prayer.