AN EXTREMIST Christian group did not carry out its threat to protest outside a Leytonstone primary school over the teaching of gay history.

Members of the infamous Westboro Baptist Church planned to picket George Tomlinson school on Friday over celebrations during Lesbian, Gay, Bisexual and Transgendered (LGBT) History Month.

A group of local anti-fascist activists, students and parents did gather to counter them.

But no one from the church came to the school, in spite of stating they would “deliver [their] message to the George Tomlinson School, exactly as planned”.

Student Harry Griffiths, 19, who organised the protest through social networking site Facebook, said: “I wanted to battle them. When I heard they were coming I had to get my university involved.”

Mr Griffiths, who studies political journalism at Roehampton University, added that he has been researching the church for years and that he wanted to go into journalism to expose groups like them.

The church, whose leader, Reverend Fred Phelps, is banned from the UK along with his daughter, are notorious for using the slogan ‘God hates fags’.

They planned the picket after finding out that children were removed from the school, in Vernon Road, Leytonstone, following its decision to teach lessons based around lesbian, gay, bisexual and transgendered history month.

But the Home Office stated it would deny entry to the UK to anyone whose behaviour was “not conducive to the public good” - including Rev Phelps’s followers.

Parent Phil Pardoe, 54, whose son is in Year Six at George Tomlinson and who joined the counter protest, said: “The majority of parents at the school have absolutely no problem with the policy on teaching about sexuality at all.

“There was a small minority of parents that were opposed but I think the important thing is to recognise that most parents weren’t.”

The school has been at the centre of an ongoing row over its decision to teach a week of lessons based around LGBT history during February.

A number of parents withdrew their children from classes in protest.

They have arranged a meeting to air concerns about 'sex and relationship' education in primary schools on April 5.