The deputy head teacher at a Wirral school has been arrested over child porn allegations.

Rob Hughes, 55, deputy head at Wallasey School, was suspended when Merseyside Police arrested him on February 14.

Forensic teams are combing the hard drive of Mr Hughes' personal computer and he has been released on bail pending further inquiries.

A Merseyside Police spokesman said: "We can confirm a 55-year-old man was arrested on February 14 on suspicion of possessing indecent images of children."

Mr Hughes, who lives in Wallasey, is a member of the Association of School and College Leaders.

Mr Hughes also taught 11 to 18 year olds at the Liverpool Victoria Rowing Club, which was relaunched by Sir Steve Redgrave eight years ago.

He was part of a ten-year campaign to acquire lottery funding to reopen the Wirral-based club after vandals set fire to the boathouse in 1990.

Olympic Gold medalist Sir Redgrave toured the new leisure facility in April, 2004, and said the centre near West Float Dock in Wallasey was "first class".

Nobody from the club was available for comment.

Chairman of governors Geoff Dunn and headteacher Phillip Duffy at Wallasey School released a joint statement.

They said: "We can confirm that Mr Hughes was suspended from school during the February half term as soon as a police investigation was made known to us.

"Consequently Mr Hughes is not working at the school and remains suspended.

"The school has been restricted in what we can say due to police and local authority procedures.

"Our last Ofsted inspection stated the very large majority of students say they feel safe and procedures for safeguarding are outstanding.

"The school continues to place the safeguarding of all students as our highest priority.

"In addition steps have been taken to ensure the suspension does not impact on the education of our students and the general running of the school."

North West representative for the Association of School and College Leaders, John Fryatt, confirmed he knew about the suspension.

He said: "We are aware of the situation and will be representing him."