EFFORTS to feeds hundreds of thousands of vulnerable schoolchildren continued today as the government refused to reverse its decision to deny them free meals during the October half-term break.

Protests multiplied outside the offices of Tory MPs who last Wednesday voted down a Labour proposal in the Commons to continue providing school meals or vouchers during the break, as happened over the summer.

Ministers said today that they are examining how holiday clubs could be used to feed hungry children in England in an effort to defuse the row.