Teachers have been accused of acting like "bouncers" outside takeaways and sweet shops to prevent children buying food after school.

Staff at Cotham School, a secondary school in Bristol, have been seen patrolling a parade of stores and standing in high vis jackets outside a chip shop.

The school says they are enforcing rules banning its pupils from buying food at home time, between 2.45pm and 3.15pm.

But local business owners are furious, claiming teachers are going beyond their powers and entering their premises to haul children out while dishing out detentions.

Shopkeepers say their profits have plummeted, with one claiming he's now forced to stay open seven days a week to make up for the shortfall.

The school denies staff have entered the shops but have admitted staff ''supervise the parade of shops''.

It says it is using powers given to schools by Michael Gove in 2011 which allows it to rule over over the conduct of pupils in certain circumstances outside the school gates, in a bid to improve discipline.

Neil D'Souza, owner of takeaway Chilli Bellies, says he has seen a massive drop in business - losing on average £30 a day since staff from Cotham School started patrolling the streets. He said he called police last week when staff allegedly blocked the entrance to his shop and stepped in to kick pupils out.