School bans 'unhealthy' fizzy pop

The school hopes to encourage pupils to drink more water

Cans of cola and other fizzy drinks are being confiscated at a Carlisle school.

The new ban at Morton School means pupils caught with cans of sugary, carbonated drinks on the premises will have then taken away and binned.

Headteacher Heather Sargeson has introduced the ban to help improve pupils' health and aid concentration.

Staff at Morton hope the move will help it gain official Healthy School status. Sweets, crisps and other sugary snacks are the school's next target.

Mrs Sargeson, said on the whole the ban had been well received and denied that the rule was drastic.

She said: "We don't check pupils as they come into school, but if we see them with these drinks we take them off them as we believe they are not good for them.

Our next move is to wage a war on crisps, chocolate and anything with E-numbers and high sugar content Head teacher Heather Sargeson

"It would be nice if children did not have a care in the world at 11, 12 and 13, but unfortunately the statistics show a rise in diabetes and obesity is a cause for alarm.

"We have to work with parents because we only get one body for life and we have to help the children look after it."

The move began when Cumbria Contract Catering took over the school's meals in April and pulled the plug on selling sugary drinks to try and encourage children to drink more water.

Mrs Sargeson added: "Our next move is to wage a war on crisps, chocolate and anything with E-numbers and high sugar content."