VAPES used by students at a Kidderminster school have been found to contain unsafe levels of potentially dangerous chemicals.

The BBC visited Baxter College to feature the school’s anti-vaping awareness campaign after vape sensors were fitted in student toilets. 

They took a batch of confiscated vapes for analysis as part of an investigation and discovered that most were illegal, with higher than permitted tank sizes and nicotine levels.

In vapes designed to look like highlighter pens, tests revealed they contained 2.4 times the safe exposure level of lead, 9.6 times the safe level of nickel and 6.6 times the safe level of chromium.

Principal Matthew Carpenter said: “The increase in vaping among school children is a national issue and something we were so concerned about that we had vape detectors fitted in the student toilets in a bid to crack down on their use and raise awareness.

“This was picked up by the BBC and, having come to school to learn about our campaign, they tested some of the confiscated vapes, with extremely worrying results".

BBC health editor Hugh Pym, who visited Baxter College to talk to students, said: “The testing team said they were the worst set of results they had ever seen.”

Research suggests vaping among 11 to 17-year-olds has increased from 7.7 per cent last year to 11.6 per cent and although it is illegal to sell vapes to under 18s, children are being sold to them by some local retailers and dealers.

Mr Carpenter added: “Vapes may be currently considered a safer alternative to smoking cigarettes, but children should not be encouraged to take up vaping as a lifestyle choice, through attractive packaging and social media.

“These may have sweet and fruit flavours but they are potentially dangerous. These test results show illegal vapes are available and are being sold to our children. I don’t wish my students to risk long-term harm to their bodies and brains".