A HEADTEACHER is urging traders to refuse to serve pupils from his school who go into shops in Backwell at lunchtime wearing their uniform, and the parish council are supporting his call. Roger Mason, the headteacher of Backwell School, is asking for shop

A HEADTEACHER is urging traders to refuse to serve pupils from his school who go into shops in Backwell at lunchtime wearing their uniform, and the parish council are supporting his call.Roger Mason, the headteacher of Backwell School, is asking for shopkeepers' help after a villager complained to Backwell Parish Council that his students were leaving rubbish from takeaways and local shops along the public footpath which links Mulberry Close with Rodney Road.Parish councillors wrote to Mr Mason, asking if volunteers might be willing to help keep the thoroughfare clean and tidy.In a letter, replying to the parish council's request, Mr Mason admits that it is likely that some of the litter has been deposited by his students.In addition, he promises that staff will impress on students 'the unacceptability of dropping litter' and says the school may be able to help collect rubbish 'from time to time'.Mr Mason goes on to say that the school can only accept responsibility for litter students drop 'whilst in school uniform' and adds: "The only students of Backwell School who have permission to be off site during the school day are in the sixth form. It would help us a great deal if the traders in the village, eg Spar and the fish and chip shop etc, refused to serve Backwell students in the general school uniform at lunchtime."Such students are invariably breaking our rules and are therefore less likely to be sensitive to civic pride."Please use the authority and persuasiveness of the parish council to encourage traders to support us in this."Maureen Sage, Backwell Parish Council's clerk, said: "The parish council is writing to businesses in the village asking for their co-operation. "Parish councillors supported the content of Mr Mason's letter."The owner of Backwell Fish Bar declined to comment on Mr Mason's request.