AN incident in which a pupil brought a loaded gun into school to threaten another who was dealing in drugs did take place at Lavington School, though more than eight years ago.

Teacher Elizabeth Greed, who has come to national prominence for her regular calls for a sea change in attitudes towards pupil behaviour, had always kept the location of the incident unspecific, merely referring to it as happening "early in my career".

But the issue has arisen again after an article in last weekend's Independent on Sunday, the first in a series about school behaviour.

The article, in which Lavington School is not named, gives the impression that the catalogue of serious incidents, including that with the gun, happened recently and the matter was brought up at Market Lavington's annual parish meeting on Monday night.

Vicar of Lavington, the Rev Harold Stephens, asked Inspector Pete Bowerbank from Devizes police station what he knew of the allegations, but Mr Bowerbank was unable to provide any information.

Headteacher Martin Watson said this week he had asked Mrs Greed to be more guarded in her comments to the press.

He said: "None of these allegations have been brought to my attention in the eight years I have been at the school. I have asked Mrs Greed for more information so that I can deal with the situation."

But Mrs Greed claimed she had told Mr Watson at an earlier meeting about the gun incident, which took place before Mr Watson became head.

She said: "The boy had tried every way to stop the drug dealer from selling drugs to his brother. This was what he had been driven to.

"The gun was a Colt 45 stolen from the Army. He threatened the drug dealer with it. He became aware that I was there and turned towards me. As he did so, I leaned forward and said, I'll have that thank you, and took it from him."

According to Mrs Greed, the police were not called and, although the armed pupil was expelled, the alleged drug dealer was not and continued to sell drugs to other pupils.