Primary school pupils have been allegedly offered cigarettes and drugs by teenagers during playtime.

Children at Tenterden Junior School are thought to have been approached by the boys as they played together outside.

According to a source with links to the school, they offered cigarettes to the children as well as "gear", with the astonished children asking what the word "gear" meant before going inside to report the approach to their teachers.

The youngest children at Tenterden Juniors are just eight years old and the school caters for pupils up to the age of 11.

Staff at the Recreation Ground Road school reported the incident to police.

Sally Lees, head teacher of Homewood secondary school in Tenterden, says she is "liaising closely" with police over the issue, but has stated that the teenagers concerned are not believed to be Homewood pupils.

Mrs Lees is the chief executive of Tenterden Schools Trust that incorporates the junior school, which has not responded to requests for a comment.

Police have confirmed the incident and a spokesman said: "We were made aware of an incident at a school in Recreation Ground Road, Tenterden, on Friday, January 11, in which teenage boys were reported to have spoken to children in the playground and offered them cigarettes and drugs."

Inspector Jason Atkinson of the Ashford community safety unit added: "Clearly this alleged incident is of concern to parents and staff and our youth engagement officer will be contacting the school to give advice on pupil safety.

"We take the use of illegal drugs and its associated anti-social behaviour extremely seriously and I urge anyone who is worried about the supply of illegal drugs in their community to speak to their local police community support officer, contact us via the Kent Police website, or phone us on 101 or 999 if a crime is in progress."