A GCSE student was sent home from school after turning up for lessons in the wrong-coloured shoes.

Evesham High School pupil Ben Jelfs, aged 15, was forced to walk the four-mile journey home.

He was told he could not attend classes until he changed his £85, size 10 pair of brown shoes, bought last weekend, for black ones.

Ben's mother, Linda Jelfs, said: "I think this is totally ridiculous. There needs to be discipline in a school and I understand they have to have rules, but Ben was wearing shoes, not trainers.

"Surely he could have stopped until the end of the day - he was due to hand in some GCSE coursework. They are making the wrong fuss about the wrong things."

Mrs Jelfs, of Main Street, Bretforton, claims she had always been told students could wear brown or black shoes. Parents were sent a letter on Wednesday about uniform, stating only black shoes were permitted.

She added: "I sent a letter saying Ben only had four weeks of school left. We had only just paid for new shoes and hadn't really got the money to buy any more.

"When he was pulled up on it he was offered a £20 voucher for Priceless shoes to go and buy a new pair - but he can't fit into their shoes because his feet are too broad. His only option was to go home and change."

Assistant headteacher Gill Brookes said: "We've been clear for years about uniform. We've got a dress code and children will be sent home until they comply.

"In Ben's case what I'd hoped was to send him to get some new shoes and get him back in lessons as quickly as possible. But he wanted to return home to wear his old black ones. We are just trying to maintain standards."