A head teacher who is set to take charge of one of the county's biggest primary schools has been suspended.

Former Gloucester rugby player Chris Raymond is leaving Nailsworth primary near Stroud for Lakeside primary in Cheltenham in the New Year.

But governors at the Forest Green school have suspended him.

The suspension is not pupil-related and an investigation is underway.

It brings the number of county head teachers currently suspended to four.

Ian Johnstone, head teacher of Cam House school near Dursley, has been suspended for a year, while Marling School, Stroud head, Roger Lock was suspended last week .

Birdlip primary head Chris Adams remains off work after parents were told of his suspension in June, 13 weeks after governors took the decision.

Mr Raymond, 40, who played for Gloucester and Worcester, lives in Cheltenham, and last week told The Citizen's sister paper, the Gloucestershire Echo he was looking forward to taking over at the Hatherley Road school.

He was not able to comment on the matter yesterday.

A Gloucestershire County Council spokeswoman said: "We can confirm that the governing body of Nailsworth Primary School has suspended the head teacher.

"The suspension is without prejudice while investigations are carried out.

"Parents have been informed and arrangements have been made to ensure the school operates as normal with an acting head in place."

Mr Johnstone has been suspended from the school for children with special needs near Dursley for one year but Gloucestershire police confirmed no action is being taken against him after a complaint was made.

A county council spokeswoman said all four heads were suspended by their governors for a range of different issues. She could not say when any may be resolved.

Acting heads have been appointed in all cases but National Association of Head Teachers county secretary and national council member Paul Woodward, said suspensions can be too easy to enforce. He could not comment on individual cases, however.