M&S has started selling hijabs for schoolgirls as young as nine after hundreds of schools requested that it supply uniforms for Muslims.

The garments, bought by parents who want their daughters to cover their hair while at school, were made available for the first time at M&S this summer due to popular demand.

The clothes giant works with 250 schools as their uniform supplier, and as part of the service a number of schools requested hijabs alongside shirts, skirts and trousers.

The move has been met with outrage from campaigners, some of whom accused the store of oppressing children.

The hijabs are on sale for £6 in M&S's "School Essentials" section and are designed to fit girls from aged nine upwards.