London  - A 14-year-old girl of Sikh faith Tuesday won a High Court discrimination battle against her school in Britain where she will now be allowed to wear a religious bangle known as the Kara.

Sarika Singh, from Cwmbach, in Wales, was excluded from her girls' school in November 2007 for refusing to take off the slim steel bracelet which teachers said contravened rules on jewellery at the school.

Sarika's lawyers said wearing the bangle was important to her as a symbol of her Sikh faith. She will now return to the school in September.

The High Court judge ruled that the school was guilty of indirect discrimination under race relations and equality laws.

It denoted the "God's infinity" and was effectively a "handcuff to God," said the judge.

He rejected claims by the school that the bangle, which he said was less obtrusive than some watches, could be seen as a "symbol of affluence."

Sarika said after the ruling that she was overwhelmed by the outcome.

"I'm so happy to know that no-one else will go through what me and my family have gone through and no other pupil will ever get banned from wearing their Kara again. I just want to say that I am a proud Welsh and Punjabi Sikh girl," she said.

The case is the latest in a series of religious dress cases in Britain, where school make their individual rules about dress and jewellery. (dpa)