School worker recorded feeding rat

CHESTERFIELD, England, Nov. 19 (UPI) -- Officials at a British school said a behavioral tutor is being investigated after a student recorded him feeding a rat near the school's cafeteria.

Tracey Burnside, acting head at Springwell Community College, a school for students ages 11-16 near Chesterfield, England, said an investigation has been opened after Paul Ashworth, 33, was recorded feeding a rat while two colleagues looked on near the schools' cafeteria, The Sun reported Monday.

"Clearly staff should not put out food for any animals on school grounds," Burnside said. "We understand that the bread was on the ground near the rat for a short period of time but have launched an investigation."

Parent Mandy Sludds, 40, said she was outraged to see the video.

"For staff to encourage wild rats not far from where children are eating and playing is just diabolical," she said. "This was stupid, mindless behaviour from an adult in charge of sorting out children behaving badly. The bread had been put out for the rat not far from the kitchen block. It was a big, pregnant thing with a nest under a bush."