School dinners: Canteen shut amid 'inedible' food row

A school is shutting its canteen after its food was dubbed "inedible" online.

Images of the dinners were posted on Facebook by parents of pupils at Ysgol Dyffryn Taf in Whitland, Carmarthenshire.

A total of 458 comments had been left on the site on Friday after the snaps were uploaded by parent Shelley Webb.

The school's headteacher said the catering service accepted "some aspects" were below par and it was keen to make improvements.

In a letter to parents Julian Kennedy said the dinner hall would not be offering cooked meals on Monday or Tuesday while the council and kitchen staff met to "reconsider all aspects of the current food and drink offer".

One pupil, Anais, said children at the school had stopped eating rather than have school dinners.

The 15-year-old said: "There are pink sausages, there are pink chunks in the chicken. People have claimed to be ill after eating it, and I have stopped eating it.

"If you take it back we are told that is how the meat is supposed to look or they will give us a new one and charge us for the new one.

"One of my friends found plastic in her burgers. She told one of the supervisors and was told it was just one of those things. She was just saying it was normal."

Anais said the portions were not enough to fill a four-year-old child and she had not been served a good meal in almost a year.

"It's just mush," she said.

Mum Shelley Webb initially took her daughter's complaints with a pinch of salt, then saw pictures of pink sausages and chicken.

"They have to go on courses, the kitchen staff, whoever is cooking that food," Mrs Webb said.

"And maybe change their portion control. The children are hungry.

"As parents we are spending a lot of money to get not much food."

A main meal cost £2.60 she said.

"It is just totally out of order serving that food to our kids," said Mrs Webb.

"You could kill someone."

A letter from headteacher Julian Kennedy to parents said the children would have to bring a packed lunch on Monday and Tuesday as the canteen would only be offering cold drinks and snacks and packed lunches for children eligible for free school meals.

"We are aware of concerns regarding the quality and/or portion size of some of the lunchtime provision in the dinner hall," Mr Kennedy said.

"We want all of our young people to have access to a vibrant and healthy food offer to match other schools in Carmarthenshire.

"As soon as we were made aware of the concerns we contacted the local authority who have worked with us to review the offer.

"As a result of that review, the local authority service would like to spend some time with the key staff from the school kitchen to reconsider all aspects of the current food and drink offer.

"We are also in discussions with the local authority regarding investment in improving equipment and working arrangements in the kitchen."

The council has been approached for comment.