Michelle Hughes has defied the threat of a terror attack by wearing her cadet uniform to school despite being warned against the idea . A teenager has defied the threat of a terror attack by wearing her cadet uniform to school despite being warned against the idea. Michelle Hughes was told to carry her Army uniform in a bag when travelling to and from school after fears of a Woolwich copycat attack on soldiers. But the proud 17-year-old cadet ignored advice, insisting she had not been brought up to be ‘scared of anything’. Her show of courage comes after children in cadet forces across the country were warned in December not to wear their uniform outside school. Pupils were also told to carry out searches of training areas, ranges and accommodation before setting up camp while on trips. Individual units were told to ensure with ‘immediate effect’ that ‘appropriate security measures’ were put into place in all detachments. Michelle’s mother, Rose Hughes, said: ‘I am not going to be afraid of evil frustrated people. That is the way I brought up my children. I brought them up to work hard and achieve and fulfil their potential. ‘There are crazy people out there who take out their frustrations in life on other people, but this country is peaceful and I do not want my children to be afraid. ‘Let the terrorists be afraid, they are the ones who should hide.’ When the guidance was issued by some units, a Combined Cadet Force (CCF) source said it was a ‘terrible shame’ that children were no longer able to wear their uniforms proudly on the streets. Andrew Halls, headmaster of King’s College School in Wimbledon, south west London, wrote to the parents of pupils who belong to its CCF, to advise that concerned pupils should carry their uniforms in a bag when travelling to school. Miss Hughes, a single mother, wrote back to say her daughter would not bow to the threat. Michelle, who has 12 A* GCSEs and has represented England at athletics, told the Sunday Times: ‘I saw the email from the headmaster and so did my mum, but I was going to wear the CCF uniform anyway. ‘I don’t really feel at risk. My mum wrote back to the school saying she had not brought us up to be scared of anything.’ Some schools have been strict with guidance and have told pupils they must not wear their uniform in public (file picture) Her mother, from Essex, added: ‘It is a wonderful privilege to be alive and to live in a country like Britain. ‘Nothing is risk free, but on the whole this country is safe. I want my children to be on the right side of life, to do the right thing and fulfil their potential. The only thing you have to be afraid of in life is fear.’ Michelle, who was previously a member of the Air Training Corps, is one of a number of CCF members at her school who are not prepared to hide their uniforms in public. The teenager hopes to secure a place at an Ivy League university in America and train to be a doctor, possibly with the Royal Air Force. Mr Halls said he felt he had to pass on the army’s advice, but respected the decision by most of his pupils to ignore it. He said: ‘I respect Michelle’s mum’s message. I think it is admirable, but I would not want to enforce it if anyone did not feel comfortable with it. ‘What would be really awful would be if we packed in the CCF because we thought it was two risky.’ Some schools have been stricter with the guidance and told pupils they must not wear their uniform in public. Last year serving soldiers were also told not to wear their uniform outside barracks amid fears of an another attack similar to the murder of Fusilier Lee Rigby in Woolwich . Richard Cairns, the headmaster of Brighton College, said his pupils changed into their CCF uniforms only after they arrived at school. He said: ‘You’ve got to put the potential risk to children first.’ Thomas Garnier, the headmaster of Pangbourne College in Berkshire, who is in charge of liaison between schools with CCFs and the army, said it was for individual head teachers to interpret advice from the army. He said: ‘Given the different situations schools are in, a school in an inner city might take a different view to a school in the country where pupils board.’ He said the decision to ignore guidance did ‘seem brave’, adding: ‘They have a right to say they are not afraid of this threat.’ A CCF source said in December: ‘It is such a terrible shame that children are being told not to wear uniforms. It is sad they can’t proudly walk the streets.’ Last year serving soldiers were also told not to wear their uniform outside barracks amid fears of an another attack similar to the murder of Fusilier Lee Rigby in Woolwich in 2013. Rigby was wearing a top bearing the logo of Help for Heroes, the charity for injured service personnel, when he was attacked. The threat level for the armed forces was raised from ‘substantial’ to ‘severe’ at the end of last year, meaning a terrorist attack on military personnel is highly likely.
Michelle Hughes was told to carry her Cadet uniform in her backpack . Was warned to do so after fears of Woolwich copycat attack on soldiers . But proud cadet, 17, ignored advice as she is not 'scared of anything'
Children were told in December not to wear her uniform outside of school .