A TEACHER who allegedly told pupils he could plant a parcel bomb on their bus has been dismissed by the agency that supplied him, it has emerged.

Mazin Albarq was dropped by supply agency, Teaching Personnel, which assigned him to teaching duties at two County Durham schools.

The physics teacher caused controversy after reportedly telling pupils who were not paying attention at one of his classes at St Bede's RC School and Sixth Form College, in Lanchester, that he knew how to make a parcel bomb and put it on their bus.

It later emerged that Mr Albarq, of Selby Crescent, Darlington, had been the subject of a complaint at a second school, Durham Community Business College for Technology Enterprise, formerly Deerness Comprehensive School, in Ushaw Moor, near Durham City, when a parent phoned to say he had told pupils how to make bombs out of golf balls and matchsticks.

There was no comment from Teaching Personnel, but in a statement last night Durham County Council, the local education authority, confirmed his dismissal.

A spokesman said: "We have exchanged correspondence with the teaching agency that employed Mr Albarq in which we registered our own, very serious, concerns about his highly inappropriate comments to students and repeated those concerns of the schools where his temporary employment gave rise to similar complaints.

"As a result, we have been told that Mr Albarq has been dismissed by the agency and will not be offered further work by them.

"As far as we are concerned, as an education authority, that is an appropriate action for them to have taken."

Durham Police, meanwhile, have yet to decide whether to bring criminal charges against Mr Albarq.

A spokeswoman said: "Our investigation is still continuing and we hope to update everyone concerned when there is any change."

Mr Albarq, who said previously he had contacted a solicitor after learning of the police investigation, has described his remarks as a joke and said he did not understand what the fuss was about.