Marshland High School in West Walton has come under fire from dozens of angry parents after a teenage boy was put in isolation because of his haircut.

Elizabeth Steel vented her anger on social media after her 15-year-old son Damon - who has a militarised short back and sides haircut because he is in the army cadets - was put in isolation.

In less than one week the post has since been shared more than 73,000 times on Facebook, attracting 29,000 comments.

She said: “They say his hair must be appropriate for a professional learning environment and that he must remain in isolation till his hair grows back.

“During Armed Forces Day, where he stood in uniform, in the blazing hot sun for about six hours, he decided that he needed a haircut.

“His army sergeant says his haircut is good enough for the British army, so why is it not good enough for school?”

She added: “I am so angry about this.”

On its website, Marshland High School’s uniform policy states: “All pupils’ hair should remain a natural colour and the style of the hair should not make the pupil stand out. A haircut which leaves a child totally bald is not acceptable.”

A former solider with 22 years service and a former army cadet, branded the school’s decision to isolate Damon as “ridiculous.

“I would have thought your school ethos would be to promote honesty, integrity, loyalty, self sacrifice and personal bearing – all attributes cadets bring.

“But instead you choose to stand against those values.”

One angry parent said on Facebook: “You should be promoting his hard work and his adventures, not trying to mess with his future over a hair cut.”

Another added: “Pull your head out of the dirt and wake up its 2017 not 1900.”

A third said: “Putting a child into isolation because of his hair cut is not acceptable in the country in this day and age.

“Try moving with the times and leave your draconian values where they belong, in the distant past.”

One person has even called for the school’s headteacher and those teachers involved in the decision to resign.

We are awaiting a comment from the school