A school has banned pupils from wearing skirts because a male teacher said he was made to feel embarrassed by the uniform.

Bridlington School in Hull, East Yorkshire, has ordered that all students now wear the same style of trousers to stop pupils 'pushing the boundaries' with tight-fitting clothing.

The new rules were introduced after a male teacher complained to the headmistress after being put in an awkward position when he told a pupil her skirt was too short.

More than 1,000 parents have already signed an online petition against the 'unfair' and 'ludicrous' guidelines.

Adrian Wilman and his daughter Chloe (left) stand outside the school gates this afternoon. Mr Wilman said the ban on skirts was 'stupid' while Mary Briggs (right) said she couldn't afford new trousers for her daughter Kaitlin

Parents at the school gates this afternoon described the new rules as 'stupid'.

Adrian Wilman, whose daughter Chloe already wears trousers by choice, said: 'I think it is stupid that they should ban skirts.

'The girls should be free to wear what they want. Having said that my daughter won’t wear skirts. But that is not the point here. There should be a choice.'

Mother-of-three Mary Briggs added that she could not afford to spend more money on clothes for her daughter Kaitlin.

'I am on benefits and I cannot afford the new uniform. Kaitlin has school trousers already, and they fit her. So come September she will have to buy new.

'Skirts of a certain length below the knee are fine. They should not be banned. However I do think shirts above the knee are wrong.'

Headteacher Sarah Pashley told parents of the change in a letter

The new rules were proposed in a letter issued by headteacher Sarah Pashley which claimed male teachers had been embarrassed by having to tell girls off for their short skirts.

' To set it in context, on one occasion when a male member of staff challenged a female student on her skirt length, she retorted, ‘You shouldn’t be looking at my legs’.

'The male member of staff was understandably uncomfortable with this and reported it to me immediately.'

She added trousers were 'also an issue' with students 'pushing the boundaries' with tight-fitting styles.

'Trousers are a constant problem because of ever-changing fashions and some students pushing the boundaries in terms of purchasing "skinny", tight-fitting trousers from non-uniform suppliers.

'This causes confrontation between staff and students and also between the school and some parents/carers, who feel that the trousers they have bought do conform to the school uniform policy.'

Later Ms Pashley said the reason for the new uniform rules was to ensure the school's logo was included on items of clothing.

'Trousers and skirts currently don’t have to have the logo on though. Insisting on a logo on trousers will enable us to enforce the rules on appropriate trousers effectively.

'Our current uniform policy states that knee-length skirts are acceptable. Parents buy skirts for their daughters which are knee length in September. Very often by Christmas their daughter has grown and the skirt is above the knee and no longer complies with the policy.'

One mother said the head teacher was 'punishing the majority of girls' who do follow uniform rules.

'I don’t agree with them not being able to wear skirts. It is wrong. The head teacher is punishing the majority of girls and parents who abide by the school uniform rules, because of the minority girls who don’t.

The school issued a letter stating that all pupils will be expected to wear the same style of trousers (above)

Bridlington School in East Yorkshire has banned female pupils from wearing skirts after a male teacher became 'uncomfortable' telling one girl off because hers was too short

'There are a lot of parents who simply cannot afford to buy the new trousers with the logo on,' said 44-year-old Amanda Bassett.

Another parent, who did not want to be named, asked whether female members of staff would be held to the same restrictions. 'Some female staff wear high heels, short skirts and low-cut blouses.

'Are they going to be wearing trousers?' she said.

More than 1,000 parents have signed an online petition calling for the old rules to be reinstated.

'Please sign this petition to be handed to the head teacher and governors of Bridlington School, to explain that we the parents, do not and will not support the new uniform implementation and require the old system to remain in place.

'We believe that this uniform change is penalising the whole school, for the misbehaviour of the few children that refuse to follow the current uniform rules,' it reads.

The issue is due to be settled at a meeting between school staff and parents.