A kitchen porter at a £27,000-a-year private school has been arrested for allegedly poisoning soup meant for pupils and teachers with diesel.

Staff raised the alarm after noticing the food had a chemical smell while carrying out routine checks at Stowe school.

A 58-year-old man was arrested at his home near Brackley, Northamptonshire, yesterday on suspicion of administering poison. He was later bailed and also suspended by the school.

A school source said students were told to keep quiet and not even discuss it with friends or on Facebook.

A pupil told the Mirror,

The guy involved has been at the school’s catering department for years. The soup was ditched straight away when another member of catering smelled it. We were told not to discuss it outside school.