A Darlington school banned pupils from eating chocolate, butter and meat on a coach journey to Dover on Monday.

The six-day school trip to Arques la Bataille in France, set off from Hummersknott school at 6am on Monday.

Pupils were not allowed to eat sandwiches containing butter or margarine, chocolate, meat or other dairy products on board during the seven-hour journey.

The unusual step to ban the items was taken after organisers received a fax from coach company Proctor's of Bedale, detailing MAFF travel guidelines to prevent the spread of foot-and-mouth disease.

A letter sent on Friday to parents of pupils taking the trip stated that the coach company had insisted on the ban, though it has denied this.

The letter also said coaches were being stopped and delays would be shorter if controversial foods were avoided. Pupils were advised to buy and consume food at service stations or on the ferry.

Mr Andrew Fryatt, of Proctor's Coaches, denied they had insisted on a ban from Darlington. He said: "The school took the decision to ban meat and dairy products from the coach during the journey.

"We sent them the MAFF guidelines for travellers which states 'you are advised not to have any meat or dairy products with you when you travel'.

"The school must have decided it was easier to ban the foods from the coach altogether than remove them before boarding the ferry."

Mr David Henderson, head teacher at Hummersknott, said: "We acted on information and guidance sent by Proctor's.

"It seemed a common sense step to take not to take anything on to the coach at all."