Sandwich-maker warned by police for selling 'unhealthy food' to schoolchildren

Children began placing orders at Michael Daley's shop this term after their school banned them from leaving the grounds at lunchtime without permission.

Some did not want to eat the meals in the canteen - so they phoned their requests to Mr Daley instead.

Although the pupils were delighted with his deliveries, the school was not.

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So police paid the 41-year-old a visit and asked him to stop.

Mr Daley, who owns the Standish Kitchen sandwich bar in Standish, Wigan, said: "The children told me the head was not happy with me delivering.

"But I couldn't believe the police got involved.

"Some kids just don't want what's on the menu. Our most popular product with the children is a southern chicken wrap which is certainly not junk food - the chicken in cooked in a little bit of oil on the griddle.

"I don't think I'm doing anything wrong. It's crazy.

"I'm a businessman and I give customers what they want. They just don't like the school food."

Hugh Crossan, the head of Standish High School, said: "We were one of the first schools in Wigan to win Healthy Schools Status.

"We offer a wide variety of meals which the majority of children are satisfied with.

"There will be days when one or two pupils don't like anything, but they are welcome to approach staff and request different types of food. They are also welcome to bring in sandwiches from home.

"Over the last two days, just four pupils were involved in this and, after we explained our concerns, they agreed with us and were happy to use the canteen.

"I don't think any parent would be happy to send their child to a school where things were passed through the gate and the staff had no control over what was coming into the grounds."

A spokesman for Greater Manchester Police said: 'Police were not called to investigate.

We have a schools liaison officer based at the school whose job it is to work with teachers, parents and pupils.

The seller was repeatedly asked by the school to stop selling items to pupils and passing them through the gates, but he ignored these requests, and the head asked the liaison officer to have a word with him.

"At no time was the shopkeeper told he was breaking the law, threatened with arrest or ordered to stop."