Probe launched into Polish priest who gets young children to lick whipped cream off his knee in creepy school initiation

Priest is also principal Salesians High School in Lubin, southern Poland

Defended his actions by saying such ceremonies for first year pupils have been an annual event for many years

Polish government's spokesman on child affairs: 'This is very disturbing'



Abused children charity expresses concern

Parents of some pupils have come out in support of the priest



A police investigation has been launched after a series of disturbing photos emerged showing schoolchildren licking whipped cream from the knee of a Polish priest.



The images - which are apparently part of an 'initiation ceremony' at Salesians High School in Lubin, southern Poland - show both male and female 13-year old pupils taking part in the bizarre practice.



Father Marcin Kozyra, who is also the school's principal, has defended his actions by saying such ceremonies for first year pupils have been an annual event for many years.



Shocking: A Polish catholic priest has been forced to defend himself after pictures emerged of children licking cream off his legs

Bizarre: The photos show an 'initiation ceremony at the Salesians' high school in Lubin, southern Poland

In the photos the Catholic priest is shown sitting on a battered armchair, wearing shorts and with some form of stick across his knees.

The pupils are shown kneeling around Father Kozyra a s they watch each other lick cream from his bare knee.



Other photos show the students crawling up the stairs in a single file on their hands and knees.



'This is very disturbing,' said Marek Michalak, the Polish government's spokesman on child affairs, reported The Telegraph.



Outrage: The images show 13 year-old pupils, both male and female. 'This is very disturbing,' said Marek Michalak, the Polish government's spokesman on child affairs

Defence: The preist said no-one had ever complained, and said he saw nothing wrong in his actions

'Surely the boundaries of decency and acceptable forms of bodily contact have been exceeded. I've ordered an enquiry and demanded an explanation from all relevant authorities.'



While some people have expressed shock over the pictures, which were posted on the school’s website, the parents of some pupils have come out in support of the priest.



In a letter of defence they claimed that the whipped cream was actually shaving foam and nobody was forced to eat it.

Audience: The pupils are shown gathered around the priest in a semi-circle, although their faces are masked for legal reasons

The priest sits in an armchair as the young girls kneel in front of him

Controversial: The images have now been removed from the school's website Unorthodox: The set of photos also reveal the children crawling up stairs on their hands and knees

Activities: It appears from the photos that the girls and boys took part in tasks separately

Monika Sajkowska, from the Nobody's Child Foundation charity deemed the behaviour as 'inappropriate,' repo rted Thenewspl .

'The children were manipulated into this. Limits were exceeded. But not, it appears, with any other intention other than having fun,' she said, adding that 'parents should talk to the children' about the photos.



The images have now been removed from the school's website.



Local prosecutors launched an investigation after the photos were picked up by the national media.