THOUSANDS of feeding stations for hungry children opened across England today as the government stubbornly stuck to its decision to deny them free school meals over half-term.

A huge and spontaneous mobilisation of volunteers took place nationwide to feed hundreds of thousands of the 1.4 million vulnerable and deprived youngsters who qualify for free school meals.

A number of Tory MPs who voted last week to deny children food by not extending free dinners into the holidays faced a backlash in their constituencies.