Schoolgirls received a stark warning from a survivor of Female Genital Mutilation (FGM) in an assembly talk to mark International Women’s Day.

Many of the pupils, between the ages of 11 and 16, were hearing about FGM for the first time yesterday afternoon (March 7) at Connaught School for Girls in Leytonstone.

Hibo Wardere, who moved to the UK from Somalia 27 years ago, was just six when she was forced by her family to be cut.

The mother-of-seven passionately warned pupils to refuse to go through with the procedure if they are pressured to do so.

The 46-year-old said: “It is a horrible way of controlling girls so they don’t have sex before marriage.

“It is child abuse.

“Every part of you is beautiful, nothing is wrong with you, no one has a right to remove part of your body.

“You have a choice to say no, I didn’t but you do.”

Figures show 66,000 girls are at risk from FGM in the UK despite it being illegal since 1985.

Mrs Wardere, who currently lives in Walthamstow and has been married for 25 years, said it was a “global epidemic” with three million women in Africa alone having gone through the procedure.

She added: “My family held a massive party before I was going to be cut and I was told I was going to become a woman.

“But it is a lie and will destroy your life, it has hurt me physically and mentally.

"As a mother I want to protect my children from it.

“If you feel you are under threat then please tell your teachers or the police because they will help you.”

Mrs Wardere will be back at the school later this month to hold workshops with Year 9 pupils to deepen their understanding of the issue of FGM.

Sally Walker, headteacher at the school recently rated ‘good’ by Ofsted in January, said: “It was a special assembly to mark women’s day, when you hear Hibo speak you don’t forget her.

“She is a larger than life character and a lovely lady.

“It is a great privilege for the school to welcome Hibo and it is important we raise awareness of the issue of FGM to help protect our pupils.”