A primary school teacher has been suspended for Sellotaping over the mouths of her 10-year-old pupils after they refused to stop giggling and talking.
Priscila Davo Ortega, 27, allegedly lined up more than 20 children during her art lesson and put layers of sticky tape across their lips because they were being too noisy.
Parents said that when some children ripped off the tape because they were struggling to breathe, the Spanish-born teacher replaced it.
Other children were left with bleeding lips when the tape was removed, and several said that they were scared about returning to school.
Miss Ortega has been suspended from teaching art and Spanish at Danesfield Church of England middle school in Williton, Somerset, pending an investigation.
Police said they would work with the local education authority.
Head teacher Ian Bradbury said: "My thanks to the numerous parents who brought this matter to my attention and have given their ongoing support to us in this challenging situation."
One parent, Rob Lovell, said his 10-year-old daughter was 'shocked' by what happened and that the tape had hurt her.
He told the BBC: "When she removed it at the end of the lesson it took the skin off lips and made her lips bleed.
"She was a bit upset telling us because she thought she'd done something wrong."
Mr Lovell said his daughter had told him that most of the class had tape put on their mouths apart from 'maybe two' who were allergic.
He added: "She said if they took it off they'd be taken out of the lesson.
"When the Sellotape started to come off she put more on. She got them to keep it on for the whole lesson."