Mums claim children are being threatened with being excluded for wearing the wrong colour coat.

Victoria Wren and Tanya-lee Hill both have daughters who have fallen foul of the black coat rule at Maltings Academy in Witham.

Mrs Wren said she was told children wearing any other colour will be sent home for a day after her daughter, Jessica Sealy, 14, wore a khaki parka last Tuesday.

Principal John Szynal said the school has high standards of behaviour and uniform and parents and pupils are told about the policy.

He said sanctions are put in place as appropriate and "exclusion is a possible sanction for persistent breach of policy," although the school would try to resolve the issue without it escalating.