A Christian teaching assistant has won an apology from a school which disciplined her for telling a pupil that she did not believe in gay marriage.

Vicky Allen, 51, took legal action after she received a formal written warning from Brannel School, in St Austell, Cornwall, which she said made her feel “like a criminal”.

The school accused her of opposing their “equal opportunities” policy when she told a 14-year-old autistic boy in September that she disapproved of gay ceremonies.

The widow, who has three children, also told the pupil she did not like the way the biblical rainbow symbol had been adopted as an emblem of gay pride.