A PRIMARY school headteacher has been arrested on suspicion of downloading indecent images of a child.

Damian Marsh, 42, who is head of St Andrew's C of E Primary, Nuttall Lane, Ramsbottom, was also arrested over an allegation of common assault, police said.

It is believed he has been suspended from his post, but Bury Council was unavailable for comment.

Mr Marsh was arrested in Lancashire on Thursday before being released.

He was questioned by detectives at Burnley police station.

A police spokesman said that Mr Marsh, who lives in Bacup, was not on bail and that no charges had been brought against him.

However the spokesman said that their investig-ations "were continuing".

A computer was seized and was being examined by experts, police said.

Officers did not reveal where the computer was seized.

Lancashire Police confir-med the arrest had been made, but declined to reveal any further details about the allegations.

A spokesman said: "A 42-year-old man from the Rossendale area has been arrested on suspicion of downloading indecent ima-ges of a child and common assault and was questioned at Burnley police station.

"He has now been released from custody.

"Our inquiries are continuing.

"A computer that was seized is being examined."

In its last Ofsted report in 2005, St Andrew's was desc-ribed as a good school with some outstanding features'.

Mr Marsh was appointed last September after leaving a post as deputy head at St Joseph's Primary, Queen Street, Ramsbottom.