Children attacked by fellow pupils in what have been described as 'deplorable acts' at Wingfield Academy in Rotherham

Police have been called to a school in South Yorkshire after schoolchildren were attacked by fellow pupils for having ginger hair.

The assaults, apparently inspired by an episode of the cartoon South Park, took place at the Wingfield Academy in Rotherham last week. South Yorkshire police said the force had been alerted to the assaults and an officer had given "words of advice" to those involved.

The school said that the attacks were "deplorable acts" and that students had been "strongly reprimanded".

A South Yorkshire police spokesman said: "The force was made aware of incidents last week at Wingfield Academy, Rotherham, where a small number of pupils suffered minor injuries.

"Following national guidelines, the school took the lead and dealt with the matter. Police did not investigate.

"However, one of our partnership-based young people officers has given words of advice to those involved.

"In the next few weeks he will also speak at a number of school assemblies to warn of the dangers regarding discrimination and violence."

According to several reports and a Facebook page hastily set up by alarmed parents, up to half a dozen pupils came home from school, with bruised legs and other minor injuries after some fellow students organised a "kick a ginger kid" day.

The children were reportedly targeted while going to lessons or elsewhere within the school. The Facebook page showed photographs of slight red marks on limbs, and comments condemning the "suffering and humiliation" of those targeted.

One mother told reporters that she had brought her 13-year-old son home from the school – which has 850 pupils – and would keep him away until teachers could assure him the incident would not be repeated.

The prank was reportedly inspired by an episode of South Park, a show itself populated mainly by child characters. In one episode, one of the main protagonists, Eric Cartman, organises a campaign against red-haired people. As with many elements of the programme the narrative is a fairly broad satire on prejudice and ignorance – Cartman learns the error of his ways when friends dye his hair red as he sleeps and he suffers abuse.

A spokesman for the school called the incidents "deplorable acts", and stressed that staff had acted quickly. He said: "The pupils involved in carrying out these acts of violence have been strongly reprimanded and a school-wide warning has gone out that any future acts of violence, carried out in the name of discrimination, or any other reason, will be met with similar strong and decisive action."