A PRIMARY school head has been suspended following his arrest on suspicion of downloading indecent images of a child, bosses have confirmed.

Damian Marsh, 42, who is head of St Andrew's C of E Primary, Nuttall Lane, Ramsbottom, was released without charge following his arrest on Thursday.

Police said that he was not on bail, although investigations "were continuing".

Mr Marsh, from Bacup, was also arrested over an allegation of common assault, police said.

Now a spokesman for Bury Council has confirmed he has been suspended.

The spokesman said: "The decision on suspension was taken in line with our protocols and policies."

St Andrew's School, Nuttall Lane, was described as a popular school with some outstanding features in its last Ofsted inspection.

It came in the top half of schools in Bury in the recently-published primary school league tables, with key stage two results much higher than the national average.

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