AN ICE cream man is taking legal action against a Barnsley school after it started preventing pupils buying his sweets and drinks before school - and excluding those who do.

Carlton Community College has excluded several pupils for visiting the van in the last two weeks - some reports say more than 20.

Angry ice cream man Paul Ripley said he has been parking there for two years but has only had problems in the last two weeks and has lost 70 per cent of his trade.

Principal Paul Haynes said he'd become 'increasingly concerned' at the number of students walking to school with energy drinks, fizzy drinks, sweets and chocolate.

"I recognise that I cannot change the eating habits of all of our children and fully understand that they or their parents are free to buy unhealthy food and drinks from any one of a number of shops but I believe that I have a duty of care to do everything that I can to ensure that they eat as healthily as possible."

** The full story appears in the Barnsley Chronicle, dated July 10. **