COMIC Relief was no laughing matter for pupils at Fallibroome High School sent home for colouring their hair red.

Parents immediately labelled staff "killjoys" for banning at least half a dozen youngsters from the Priory Lane school until they had washed the spray paint off.

But headteacher Peter Rubery hit back, saying they were committed to supporting good causes, but that none of the pupils had actually offered to donate to the Comic Relief fund.

Dad Mark Newman, 40, of Donagh Close, Upton Priory, was not happy to get a call to collect son Jack Newman, 13, from the school on Friday (March 13) morning.

The unemployed landscape gardener said: "It’s infuriating. They are killjoys. I’m angry and incensed – couldn’t they have just told them to wash it out there and then and carry on at school?"

Mum Wendy Moss, 41, of Butley Lane, Prestbury, whose 15-year-old daughter Hannah Moss was sent home, said the pupils were just using their initiative.

"It’s absolutely disgraceful, she has been so upset by all of this," she added. "Hannah has watched all the footage of the sponsored climb to Kilimanjaro – I think doing something of their own accord is admirable."

Mr Rubery said the school had a long list of charity partners, but Comic Relief was not one, adding that no students requested to organise events on Friday.

In a statement, he said: "Friday was a normal day for us and our usual standards applied. The small number of students who came to school with red hair were asked to wash it out and return to school, as they would any other day of the week.  It is worth noting that none of the students involved offered to donate to the Comic Relief charity. Fallibroome students have a tremendous record of supporting charities and have designated Green Peace as their chosen charity this year. We also raise money for our partner primary school in South Africa which funds building improvements, additional staffing and sponsoring a number of students’ school fees. This involves a day off timetable in July, when the whole school participates in a sponsored walk."