PUPILS at Primet High in Colne could face prosecution after they took part in a violent disturbance at a neighbouring school.

Teachers at Fisher-More RC High, Colne, say they were threatened, spat at and verbally abused when they tried to disperse a group of between 80 and 100 pupils from Primet who came on to Fisher-More's grounds to allegedly pick a fight with a Year 11 student.

One student was assaulted, but teachers arrived before he was injured.

Police said they were called to Fisher-More but the Primet pupils had left by the time they arrived. Officers were on duty outside the school at the end of the day to prevent further trouble breaking out and all the pupils left safely.

Peter Donnelly, head at Fisher-More, has written to parents about the incident to reassure them. "Please be assured that your children's well-being and safety is of paramount importance to us and we will continue to remain vigilant." Mr Donnelly and David Fletcher, acting head at Primet, are working together to identify the trouble-makers.

"As soon as I get their names and addresses I will pass them on to the police and put the matter in their hands," said Mr Donnelly, who said the students involved could face prosecution for using threatening words and behaviour.

"Myself and the head at Primet are working closely together on this. It's a very serious matter and we are treating it accordingly," he added.

Mr Donnelly said the problem had started before Christmas and involved a dispute between a small group of pupils at Primet and a Fisher-More student who was their target. He declined to comment on the reason behind the dispute or name the Fisher-More pupil involved.

Mr Fletcher added: "Obviously both schools inherit some of what's going on on the streets and I think this is about that rather than any bad-blood between the schools. There's certainly none between the staffs and I don't think there is between the student bodies."

The incident happened last Tuesday during the lunch break.

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