STUDENTS at Lancaster University occupied a building today in support of the University and College Union (UCU) strike action and to demand that it cuts ties with arms companies.

The action came as thousands of university staff and civil servants took strike action in disputes over pay, pensions and working conditions.

More than 70,000 UCU members began the first of three successive days of strike action at 150 universities and about 100 members of the Public and Commercial Services union at the British Museum working in visitor services and security teams are striking all week.