SCHOOLS are to get tougher powers to deal with bullies and pupils caught with offensive weapons.

Education Secretary Estelle Morris will issue new guidelines next week which will give head teachers the power to expel such pupils and appeals panels will be urged not to reinstate them, but send them to special ''sin bin'' units.

''We don't want bullies being let back into school through the back door,'' said an Education Department spokesman.

The Manchester Evening News supported ChildLine's Beat The Bully campaign after it was revealed that Greater Manchester was the worst area in England for the problem, with 18 per cent of calls from bullied youngsters, compared with a national average of 14 per cent.

Former Education Secretary David Blunkett and Princess Anne both backed the M.E.N. campaign, and a Bolton-based scheme to tackle the problem was expanded into Manchester.

Ministers claim the move will not lead to a big increase in exclusions from school.

Welcomed

It was welcomed by Doug McAvoy, general secretary of the National Union of Teachers, which revealed recently that more than 80 per cent of teachers said pupil misbehaviour was a major problem.

''This sort of behaviour disrupts the education of other children in the schools and threatens their welfare and that of teachers,'' he said.

''This guidance will strengthen the arm of schools to deal with the deteriorating behaviour of pupils.''

Current rules make it difficult to throw out pupils except following sexual incidents.

The new guidelines will make it easier and quicker to throw out pupils caught bullying.

Ministers were concerned that some pupils who are expelled were being brought back by appeals panels, despite their anti-social behaviour.

Now they are being urged to back head teachers who decide to exclude permanently persistent bullies and pupils carrying weapons such as knives.

The government has no power to order compliance with the guidelines.

But the advice will be given in the strongest possible terms, indicating it should be overridden only in exceptional circumstances.