TWELVE students have been suspended from Clitheroe Royal Grammar School after being caught "experimenting with cannabis."

The pupils, all thought to be girls, were disciplined after being found with the drug on school grounds last week.

In a joint statement, headteacher Stuart Holt and chairman of governors Professor Chris Carr confirmed: "We have had an incident in school with a number of students experimenting with cannabis and they have been suspended in line with school policy.

"When they return they will receive counselling and support to make sure this doesn't happen again."

The school declined to confirm how many pupils were involved and whether they are pupils at its Chatburn Road lower school site or the sixth form centre at York Street.

However it is believed they were caught in bushes on the school playing fields.

Police confirmed they are aware of the incident and are investigating, but a spokesperson said: "It is up to the school to contact us if it wishes to pursue criminal charges."

The force's stance on possession of cannabis being a criminal offence has not altered, although it welcomed the initiative taken by Home Secretary David Blunkett to reduce it from a class B to a class C drug.

A spokesperson said: "We need to explore it further with scientific and medical experts before making a decision on force policy."

A spokesperson for Lancashire County Council confirmed: "Such a matter would be dealt with by the school.

"It is left to the discretion of the school to decide whether to inform us of incidents of this nature, but in this case Clitheroe Royal Grammar School chose to deal with the matter itself."

County Council and Ribble Valley councillor Chris Holtom said although he was unaware of the incident, it was "obviously a matter of great concern."

Pupils at the grant-maintained school are taken from a wide catchment area covering the whole of the Ribble Valley and other parts of East Lancashire, with youngsters at the lower school accepted on passing their 11-plus exam.

Parents waiting for their children outside the school's Chatburn Road site yesterday were shocked that the incident had taken place.

One mum, who has two children at the school said: "I think it is absolutely shocking, but it seems the school has acted quickly by suspending the pupils.

"One of my children told me it was a group of girls involved.

"If the school says it is going to send them for counselling then fair enough, but I don't know whether that will be a long term solution to the problem."

Another woman, collecting her grandson, said the pupils should have been expelled. "Clitheroe Grammar is an excellent school and we were delighted when my grandson secured a place, but this just tarnishes it.

"I think these pupils should be expelled as an example to others."

David Blunkett's announcement prompted Ribble Valley MP Nigel Evans to say the move would be a mistake.

He said: "I think this will lead more young people to experiment with drugs. It cuts the ground from under the feet of those trying to tackle problems."

The incident is the second to hit Clitheroe Royal Grammar School in recent years.

In October 1998 police were called after a 17-year-old from Blackburn was caught in possession of cannabis resin.

The teenager was suspended and was cautioned by police, but not charged.