A head teacher has criticised the Manchester Evening News for its "inaccurate" coverage of a serious assault on a school boy.

The newspaper has been accused of sensationalising its report by using "lurid" language and wrongly reporting on a feud between the two schools involved.

Geoff Barlow, head teacher of Prestwich Community High School, has expressed his "disappointment" at the coverage in the local paper and the Daily Star, in a statement supported by police.

He said: "Words and phrases used like 'feud', 'mob' and 'crisis talks' are not only inaccurate but have also been unhelpful.

"I would like to make it quite clear, on behalf of both schools that there is no feud between pupils and there is no crisis."

However MEN editor Paul Horrocks has hit back at the allegations, saying that the paper's coverage was "a fair and accurate report of a serious incident".

He told HoldtheFrontPage: "In a 20 paragraph story about 10 paragraphs were given over to responses from the head teachers of the two schools and their comments were reported in full.

"The fact the five special assemblies were held by the school in which warnings were given about revenge demonstrates how seriously the trouble was regarded.

"I am somewhat surprised that the police support this statement as the suggestion of a feud going on came from the police themselves.

"The word feud was used once in the article and attributed to the police."

He added that details of ongoing trouble between the two schools was confirmed by a pupil who contacted the paper.