SWINDON College students filmed smoking cannabis will be disciplined.

The college acted after the Advertiser revealed students at its Kembrey Park site were smoking the drug at break times.

Several of the construction students have now admitted smoking dope after college bosses identified them on CCTV footage handed over by us.

College spokeswoman Amanda Burnside said: "We are quickly proceeding with disciplinary procedures in these cases.

"In addition, and as part of our normal drugs education programme, all building students at Kembrey Park have recently attended a reminder talk on the college's drugs policy and on the health issues surrounding drug taking.

"We have also been in touch with the local police to seek their support and involvement."

The offenders are due to appear before a disciplinary panel today.

The college declined to reveal how many students would be before the panel, nor what, if any, action has already been taken against them.

Students caught smoking cannabis are usually suspended pending such a hearing.

They are then issued with an official warning, which remains on their records for six months.

Students caught dealing drugs are expelled and reported to the police.

The footage was handed to the Advertiser by disgruntled security staff, who were angry because lecturers had not followed up their concerns about the students' behaviour.

Park bosses said the students were damaging the reputation of the estate.

Ms Burnside added: "The college thanks the Evening Advertiser for drawing this to our attention.

"'We would like to reiterate that we have a college-wide zero tolerance attitude to drugs and are treating these cases very seriously indeed.

"We would also stress that the students involved are in a tiny minority in terms of their behaviour and are certainly not representative of our students as a whole."

The college says it will be treating the disciplinary hearings as an internal matter and will not be releasing the results to the public.

Last week, the college moved to reinforce its hardline drugs policy by putting up posters around the campus.

Tamash Lal