A Bradford school is launching a pioneering scheme to stop vandals, smokers and bullies from ganging up in the loos.

In what is thought to be the first scheme of its kind in the country, Bingley Grammar School head teacher John Patterson will pay £173 a week to toilet attendants to protect pupils - and the renovated and brand new toilet blocks.

Pupils at the school said they sometimes felt intimidated when using the loos - and couldn't wait for the attendants to start.

Interviews were taking place today for the attendants, one male and one female, whose roles will be part policeman, part cleaner and part welcoming host.

With their own special offices - incorporated into the toilet blocks - they will watch over the facilities and ensure pupils behave.

As part of a £4.5 million project to improve and expand the school, every effort has been made to ensure the toilets are safe and clean.

Mr Patterson, who dreamt up the idea, said the principal reason for the new posts was to stop smokers and keep the toilets clean - but he also wanted to ensure bullying did not become a problem at the school.

"It is a concern at the back of every head's mind that if something bad is going to happen it is going to happen in the loos," he said.

"It is important that the children do feel safe and secure. We are aware that the younger ones sometimes don't use the loos because they find the fact that smoking goes on there intimidating."

As well as feeling safe, pupils will be treated to clean and regularly replenished toilets. Mr Patterson said he wanted his new employees to take pride in their toilets and make them attractive places.

"We are looking for people with a good record of cleaning but I would also like people who have the flexibility to deal with children of all ages," he said. "We need somebody who knows how to use the authority of the school appropriately."

A spokesman for the Department for Education said he was not aware of anywhere else in the country that had made similar arrangements. The unusual scheme has been welcomed by pupils.

Matthew Gatenby, 14, said: "If you go there now there is always a big gang of lads smoking in the toilets."

His classmate Claire Milner said: "At the moment if you go in there is a cloud of smoke and you feel very frightened as a youngster to go in.

"I think we need attendants because you can't sit down without sitting on mould or fag packets and there is graffiti everywhere."

The attendants are part of huge investment in toilets being made by the school. Of the school's current £4.5 million building project, £200,000 is being spent on renovating the existing dilapidated toilets and building two new blocks.

They will include features such as solid block work partitions for the girls cubicles instead of the usual flimsy affairs.

"A part of the culture of a school is created in the toilets whether you like it or not," said Mr Patterson. "In the past they were rather overlooked."

"You wouldn't believe how much time we have given to thinking about toilets in the design of the building. We made sure that the lines of sight were correct so that there wasn't anywhere that children couldn't be supervised."

The money for the attendants and the building work is coming out of the school's budget.

Bradford secretary of the National Union of Teachers, Ian Murch said he hoped the decision hadn't been taken lightly. Ideally, he believed the money should go on teachers and other resources. Employing toilet attendants was something that should only be done if absolutely necessary, he added.

But Bradford secretary of the National Association of Schoolmasters and Union of Women Teachers (NASUWT), Ian Davey, said: "It will ease the pressure on teachers at dinner times and break times. The best of luck to them."