PUPILS are avoiding healthy meals by sneaking out of a Worcester school to visit a fast food trailer.

Some days, queues of children can be seen at the van parked on an industrial estate near Elgar Technology College.

The school has strict rules not allowing pupils to leave the school campus in Bilford Road but it hasn't stopped some discovering the van and buying extra burgers and chips to smuggle back to classmates.

Elgar, like many schools, has recently concentrated on serving healthy hot meals and salads at lunch time.

Following criticism by celebrity chef Jamie Oliver, many schools overhauled lunch menus to ensure chips, cakes and burgers were replaced by wholesome, healthy choices.

In October, the school's caterers, Alliance in Parnership, invited parents to sample its healthy new menu at an open evening. The school's website also contains a whole section on advising pupils and parents on how to create a healthy packed lunch.

But van owner Christopher Lown, who parks in Cosgrove Close, Blackpole, said pupils visited him daily for food, including sausage and bacon baguettes, and fizzy drinks.

"I asked them how they get out and they say they cut a hole in the fence," he said. "It used to be the older ones but they are getting younger now."

Mr Lown, who has been parking on the same spot since June 1999, said pupils from Elgar had been coming to him for the last two years.

He said he usually served 30 pupils a day but it could be as many as 60,some ot them arriving as early as 9am.

"I say don't you have a lesson,and they say we've got history but wedon't like history,' they say they just get up and walk out," he said.

He said some pupils got other youngsters to come and pick up sandwiches and he even occasionally served some teachers from the school.

Mr Lown added that the headteacher of Elgar, Tony James, had visited him and asked him to inspect children's passes.

"But I said no, that's not my job," he said.

Mr James said the school's healthy meals were very popular and more children than ever were opting for healthy menu choices.

He added that the school had a clear policy of not allowing students off site at lunchtime and called for more support from parents.

"We provide food on site for them or they can bring a packed lunch. Some of our older students in key stage 4 who visit college do go off at lunchtime and some of them may decide to go there," he said.

"It is compounded and made more difficult by parents who condone it. I think parents need to take a more active role in encouraging their children more."

See comment in OPINION