SCHOOL buses in the Cotswolds are to be fitted with CCTV cameras in a bid to stop bad behaviour on the back seat.

The move comes in the wake of several nasty bullying incidents including one where a pupil with a nut allergy had peanut butter smeared on her face.

The girl suffered the horrific attack just days after she told classmates of her potentially fatal allergy.

Education bosses hope the Big Brother-style surveillance, which is costing £26,000 to implement across the county, will tackle the bullies and give drivers valuable evidence to use against those who do misbehave.

Andrew Burford, home-to-school transport co-ordinator at Gloucestershire County Council, explained why the spy cameras are needed.

He said: "The main problem we are finding is children acting in an anti-social way on a number of routes.

"We often have a problem identifying the culprits and the cameras will help us do that. We can then forward the details of offenders on to the pupils' head teachers and the police."

Initially the cameras will be used on buses travelling to Deer Park and Kingshill School in Cirencester although if it proves successful it could be implemented on other routes.

Cirencester-based Alex Cars has been running CCTV surveillance on its buses for sometime and welcomed the county council's move.

Rod Hibberd, managing director of Alex Cars, said: "We are delighted that the county council has taken it up itself to provide these cameras for bus operators throughout the county."

Mr Hibberd explained Alex Cars started using cameras in a bid to protect drivers and pupils.

He said: "It protects the driver if a child has made accusations but it works both ways; if the driver loses his temper with a pupil it's there to be seen.

"We have had drivers who have left because of bad behaviour by students and the things they say. It's a shame because it takes a very special person to drive a school bus and they shouldn't be subjected to things like that.

"CCTV evidence has been used a couple of times and we have had students barred from bus routes because of it. It's a very accurate display of what goes on."

Alex Cars has spent £20,000 so far on equipping coaches and buses and hopes to have the entire fleet kitted out by next year.