Hundreds of children marched through a town centre yesterday in a show of unity against sectarianism.

Pupils from two secondary schools and seven primaries held up traffic as they walked through Barrhead in East Renfrewshire to launch a year-long anti-sectarianism campaign.

Led by a piper, the 500-strong march wound its way from Carlibar Primary, through the streets to Auchenback Park, with children carrying banners.

In what is believed to be the first event of its kind in Scotland, primary seven pupils from Auchenback, Carlibar, Cross Arthurlie, Springhill, St John's, St Mark's and St Thomas's primary schools joined first years from St Luke's and Barrhead High.

Boys and girls mixed freely throughout the walk carrying placards with slogans including "Show sectarianism the full stop" and "We are in this together".

Taylor Trainor, 12, from St Luke's High School, said: "There is not a lot of rivalry between the schools. I don't think it is fair to treat someone different because they are a different religion. I think we got our message across and everyone knows how we feel about sectarianism now."

Andrew McDougall, 12, from Barrhead High School, said: "I thought it was fun. I already knew some people from the other school but I met lots more today and we got on. I think this will help and I would do it again."

Father Stephen Baillie, of St John's Church in Barrhead, joined the pupils on the march. He said: "In the time I have been here I have not suffered any sectarian abuse or vandalism at the church, but we know it is an issue. It is tremendous to see young people coming together.

"They have spoken loudly and clearly today and they are saying they want nothing to do with sectarianism."

The idea for the march came from Ruth Wallace, deputy head teacher at Springhill Primary.

She said: "We have been working on getting schools together to combat sectarianism, doing different activities and we thought a march might be a good idea. It marks a year-long programme of events where we will have sporting tournaments with teams made up of pupils from different schools instead of school versus school."

Meanwhile, in a separate initiative in Glasgow yesterday, photographer Harry Benson, who has documented historical moments around the world, gave a talk to pupils as part of an anti-sectarian project.

He showed them a selection of his most iconic images detailing divisions in society including many from race riot in Los Angeles in the 1960s, civil rights protests and the Berlin Wall being erected.

He told the children from the Govan area of the city that working in Berlin during the Cold War era was the most frightening experience.

Representatives from Rangers and Celtic and Kenny MacAskill, Cabinet Secretary for Justice, listened as Mr Benson held a question-and-answer session.

Mr MacAskill said: "It is a marvellous event. Children can be inspired by someone who has achieved so much.

"We know we have problems with sectarianism, which sometimes manifests itself in football supporters, but this week we saw what can be achieved when players whether they are Protestant, Catholic, black or white unite under a common cause, when our teams took on the best in the world and won."