Teachers should be allowed "sensible physical contact" with pupils in order to regain control of the classroom, an MP has said.

Norman Baker has called on the Government to restore common sense and allow certain contact between teachers and children, as well as to take action to prevent teachers being damaged by unfounded allegations.

The MP for Lewes wrote to all headteachers in his constituency, asking them a series of questions on the issue.

The results showed 40% of the schools said in the past two years they have experienced at least one case of an unfounded accusation being made against a teacher.

Meanwhile 90% of the headteachers who replied were concerned by the current situation.

Mr Baker said: "Schools cannot function properly if children know they have a hold over their teachers. "This clearly shows there is a problem with the present situation that must be addressed.

"No one is advocating a return to the cane but sensible physical contact makes complete sense.

"If a child is crying then a teacher should be able to put their arm around them to comfort them. "Similarly if a pupil is sitting under a desk and disrupting a lesson the teacher should be entitled to physically pull them out."

Responding to Mr Baker's survey, one headteacher said students "exploit teachers vulnerabilities which undermines discipline".

Another argued any investigation into a teacher s conduct would be "probably impossible for the teacher to come through unscathed".

Mr Baker has now written to Ed Balls, the Secretary of State for Children and Schools, to express his concerns. A spokeswoman for his department said: "We trust teachers to provide comfort and reassurance to a pupil in distress and if they have any concerns about the need to provide this type of care they can seek advice from their headteacher.

"We support head eachers taking firm action to deal with pupils who have made an allegation that is malicious or deliberately invented, including permanent exclusion."