Miss Crolla, 26, used to play netball for England

Parents of children at the Royton and Crompton School complained after the photo of 26-year-old Louise Crolla appeared in the News of the World.

The head teacher of the school in Oldham, Greater Manchester, has told the agency she works for not to send her back while an inquiry takes place.

Miss Crolla, from Bury, said she had been "horrified" to see the article.

She insisted she was not seeking a modelling career and said the pictures had been taken about four years ago.

"I have been totally stitched up by a photographer who took personal pictures and has decided to make some money out of it," she added.

Full support

Miss Crolla, a former England netball player, was employed at the 1,157-pupil mixed comprehensive through an agency and was not a full member of staff.

Until last month, she had been teaching at Matthew Moss High School in Rochdale.

Oldham Council's service director for schools Nick Hudson said: "Head teacher Des Herlihy has the full support of the local authority in the way he is dealing with this matter, based on the facts available to him at present and also information which is still unfolding.

"Further, through the school's own internal procedures we are fully satisfied that Mr Herlihy has taken the necessary steps to ensure that the normal teaching and learning environment has not been compromised in any way."