A student has been expelled and several more suspended after a scrap among Saltus Grammar School pupils on a city car park.

The expelled teenager has not been named but is said to be a spectator rather than one of the two boys engaged in the fighting, at the Bulls Head Car Park.

The incident last Friday afternoon was watched by a gang of up to 15 pupils, all from upper secondary classes.

Saltus headmaster Nigel Kermode described the cause of the fight as "establishing a pecking order". He said the two boys were aged "15 and up" but would not give any further details.

"As far as I'm aware it was a matter of who was the better fighter it was more fisticuffs than being a fight over a specific issue," he said.

"Although I don't think punching someone in the face can be described as friendly."

Mr. Kermode said the incident was "unusual" because of the school's 'zero tolerance' policy on fighting.

He added: "But as far as I'm concerned they were in school uniform and were representing the school. They were behaving in an antisocial and illegal manner in a public place and so the school has every right to carry out the disciplinary action we took."

He informed all parents of the disciplinary action in a letter this week. It states: "All those students who were positively identified have been suspended, and the matter has been recorded for their individual files; those who held positions of prefectural responsibility have been demoted and have lost their privileges; one student has been excluded from the school.

"This is a serious matter and, as a community, we are extremely disappointed that students in the more senior years of the school should have behaved in a manner which is irresponsible and antisocial, which brings no credit to them personally and which has resulted in their reputations being sullied at an important point in their school careers."

The letter was sent to the homes of every student at the school. Mr. Kermode however, refused to comment on the expelled teenager, saying it was a "private matter".

A Corporation of Hamilton spokeswoman said it was unaware of the incident. "This is the first incident of this kind as far as students are concerned that we've heard of," she said.

Ed Benevides, Corporation secretary and chief operating officer, said: "We do not condone this kind of behaviour in our city lots or anywhere else in the city."

It is understood the Police were called after a security guard came across the disturbance.

A Bermuda Police Service spokesman said: "Around 4.40 p.m. on Friday, March 6, Police attended a reported disturbance at Bulls Head Car Park in Pembroke.

"On arrival there was no disturbance taking place, however officers observed a 16-year-old male student from Pembroke with minor facial injuries. The Pembroke teenager was escorted to Hamilton Police Station where his father was contacted and later attended.

"Police have since spoken with the principal of the 16-year-old student's school and inquiries into the matter are ongoing."

Neither the Police nor Saltus Grammar School would comment on whether charges will be brought.