A CITY man has criticised a private school after it reported him to the police for taking photographs of pupils who were allegedly vandalising his car.

Graham London snapped three children from Springfield, the Alice Ottley junior school, throwing conkers at his Irish Army vehicle when he visited a friend living nearby, in Britannia Square, last month.

Despite informing teachers of the girls' actions, the school reported him to the police.

"To me it is St Trinian's in action," said Mr London, of Cavendish Street, Cherry Orchard, Worcester.

"I saw them pelting my car, pointed my finger, made eye contact and took my camera out and took a picture of them," added the furniture designer.

"Then I have the 'Old Bill' banging on my door and my neighbour's door. I am not a criminal.

"The headmistress told me parents ents were 'glowing in the dark' with anger, but they are trying to shift the blame for their children's actions onto me.

Mr London, who carries a camera with him at all times to use in connection with his design work, sent the film to processors and instructed them to seal and sign the print so he never sees it.

"I haven't seen the picture and I don't intend to see it. All I want is someone to say 'Sorry about this, but kids will be kids,' and a note from the children or the parents to apologise."

Alice Ottley bursar Shane Cusack said it was school policy to report any person taking photographs of pupils at the school to the police.

"If people are going around taking pictures at schools it's a natural thing to phone the police. This is because of fears about paedophiles," said Mr Cusack.

"At the time Mr London came to our door to say pupils had been throwing conkers. But he said that it didn't matter because they hadn't done any damage," said Mr Cusack. The girls involved had been spoken to, he added.

"Mr London offered to bring the film in to the school. It was only three weeks later that the head telephoned the police after he hadn't brought the film back."

Mr London has given the photograph to the police, who have now passed it on to the school. They consider the matter "resolved".

"We are not going to apologise, because we don't believe there's anything to apologise for," said Mr Cusack.