Paul Hanson, an art teacher at Siddal Moor sports college in Lancashire, was struck off for at least three years for taking methadone on the way to school. He admitted unacceptable professional conduct after failing to disclose a police caution when he applied for a care worker job.

He told the disciplinary committee he regularly took methadone, blaming the stress of an Ofsted inspection and a lack of support for his addiction.

The Teacher Support Network said last week that stress was causing mental illness in 20,000 teachers and, in extreme cases, suicide.