FIDGET spinners, the three-pronged plastic gadgets originally designed for children with attention disorders, are causing teachers a headache whilst shops cash in on the latest schoolyard craze.

Some Tynedale schools have slapped a complete ban on spinners, whilst others are telling pupils to keep them in their pockets until play time or risk confiscation.

Ovingham Middle School was one of the first in Tynedale to outlaw the spinners.

“As a school we have banned them,” said headteacher Andrew Bennett. “They started coming into school several weeks ago and from the very first lesson I noticed them (Mr Bennett is a teaching head), they were obviously not doing their intended role of aiding concentration, quite the reverse.

“I asked around and similar feelings were noted by other colleagues, so I made the decision pretty quickly to ban them from school. We informed parents that if their child needed one, we would have been advised by relevant specialists that it would be beneficial and we would have provided their child with a fidget device,” he said.

Ponteland Middle School is also prohibiting spinners. Headteacher Caroline Pryer said: “We do not allow fidget spinners in school although we have bought in three different types of device for children who might benefit from them to use – squidgy balls, tangles and cubes.”

However Hexham Middle School’s deputy head, Amanda Frankish, said there had been no need for a ban so far. “This is something that has appealed to some of our pupils who have enjoyed playing with them at break and lunchtimes, and there is some evidence to suggest they assist some children with concentration. We have had no issues of concern and pupils have put them away when required.”

Meanwhile, Beales department store in Hexham, which has been stocking them for the last month, is struggling to keep up with demand.

A toy department staff member said they had sold over 100 in just four days last weekend. “They’re selling out as fast as we can get them in,” she said.

And the town’s Peggs newsagents on Priestpopple, which sells them for between £4.99 and £19.99, told a similar story.

Manager Ed Green said: “We’ve sold over 300 in two and a half weeks. We’ve had to keep going to the cash and carry for more.”

Chris Wicklow, the shop’s supervisor, added: “We can’t keep up with the demand. We’re selling stupid amounts, it’s mad, especially among kids of about 10, though some parents and grandparents are coming in to buy them as well,” he said .

Mr Green said that whilst he didn’t see any harm in them, neither could he quite understand the attraction.

“When I first saw one, I said: ‘But what does it do?’ We had yo-yos when I was a kid and at least you moved around with those and could do tricks with them.”