A HAMPSHIRE head teacher is introducing random drug testing and sniffer dogs in a bid to solve an escalating drugs problem.

Cheryl Heron believes pupils are regularly taking cannabis and possibly even ecstasy and cocaine.

She is to start random visits to classrooms and introduce urine testing after expelling a dozen pupils already this year for being caught with cannabis or alcohol in the school grounds.

Mrs Heron, of Bridgemary Community School in Gosport, said: "Most of our problems are related to some form of drug-taking.

"I would think that parents of kids whose education is being affected by people on drugs would probably welcome something like that."