A supply teacher at John Bentley School in Calne, who was warned about his friendships with his pupils in February, has been suspended following allegations he gave cannabis to teenage pupils.

The 44-year-old is accused of taking pupils back to the room he rented at The King George Pub, in New Road, Calne.

John Bentley headteacher, Anne Burrell, refused to comment on the investigation, saying: "As the matter is under investigation it would be inappropriate for me to comment at this stage."

Kym Payne, 17, has lived at the King George Pub for the past seven months with her boyfriend Neil Stock, 35, who is the manager. She said: "I didn't know him that well and I didn't know there were allegations he did cannabis. The manager warned him not to bring children upstairs or he would get a name for himself.

"He was very helpful, but he kept himself to himself. It really worried me because he worked with kids and then hung out with them."

Lynnsey Thornton, 25, licensee of the Jolly Miller in Quemerford, where the teacher regularly drank, defended him, calling him a "polite man, who didn't seem like he would hurt a fly.''

"He had been a regular in the pub since we took over in August and once a week would come in either with one or two of his students, or, more usually, on his own," she said. "I share a love of rock and heavy metal music with him and we would talk about music and about the bands we have perform live here each week.

"Early on, he said he and his friend had a mobile disco and offered to set up a disco at the pub. I wasn't sure at first, because I wanted to keep to live music, but I agreed to him doing an experimental night and it was very successful. He and his friend have been running the disco weekly, ever since mid-September."

Ms Thornton said: "I always found him to be a very nice chap, very polite, a nice local guy. He didn't give the impression that he used cannabis, he didn't seem the type and I can usually tell.

"He had a lot in common musically with the young lads he hung out with. And he would sit in the pub and talk to them about music.''

Wiltshire County Council refused to comment on the case, but said any allegation of misconduct made against a member of teaching staff employed by Wiltshire County Council would be investigated.

A spokesman said: "While any investigation is undertaken it may be felt appropriate, depending on the severity and circumstances of the allegation, to suspend the employee until the matter is resolved.

"However, suspension in these circumstances is a neutral act and does not imply guilt or wrong doing."

The teacher is now said to be living in Bristol.

The spokesman refused to give any details of the council's policy on supply teachers and how they are employed.