PARENTS marched on an Oxford primary school after their children were left in tears when lunch-boxes were inspected by teachers and chocolate and crisps confiscated.

Keith Ponsford, headteacher of Bayards Hill Primary School in Barton, said staff had been "a bit vigorous" in cracking down on unhealthy snacks and dismissed the idea of a complete junkfood ban as "too 1984".

The school is working towards Healthy Schools status and wrote to parents at the end of last term urging them not to send their children in with chocolate and crisps.

Children's lunch-boxes, including seven-year-old Christopher Cummins's, were inspected when they returned to school this week and all offending snacks confiscated until the end of the day.

Christopher's mother, Debbie Cummins, 43, of Claymond Road, Barton, who also has a 12-year-old daughter, Lucy, was among a group of about 20 parents who marched to the school to challenge staff about the move.

She said: "I've got no problem with healthy eating I've got a problem with schools and the Government telling me what to do."

Mr Ponsford said improvements were being made to the hot food menu and chips were served no more than twice a week.

He said: "We are strongly encouraging parents not to send their children to school with crisps and chocolate."

Mr Ponsford added: "What's happened is that one or two of our staff have been a bit vigorous taking out crisps and chocolate and giving them back at the end of the day."