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Pupils at a troubled £9m free school roamed the premises in a "predatory manner" and displayed "riotous behaviour", Ofsted inspectors said.

The Discovery School in Newcastle has "hit rock bottom", according to an inspection report.

The school will close in August, after being open for just four years.

The report said the school had ineffective leadership and "shockingly high" levels of unacceptable behaviour from pupils.

Earlier this month Newcastle City Council confirmed the school was to close its doors after the government withdrew its funding following a previous damning Ofsted inspection.

The latest inspection rated the school as "inadequate", and said leaders had not been able to make necessary improvements.

It said pupils lacked respect for each other and staff, with many feeling unsafe.

The city centre school has 228 pupils aged 13-19 but has capacity for 700 and has been beset by deep-set problems.

In more detailed findings about behaviour, Ofsted inspectors reported: "A hard core of pupils display riotous behaviour and they roam the school in a predatory manner.

"The small numbers of girls and others who are singled out as different are vulnerable and do not always feel safe."

They also said Year 9 pupils at the Science, Technology, Engineering and Maths specialist school were "barred from using machinery or the computer suite because of safety concerns and their poor behaviour".

A school spokesman said: "Clearly this Ofsted report makes for difficult reading and the depth and severity of the comments were a key factor in the decision to close the school.

"Efforts to improve performance and results failed in the short term and young people's education is not something you can put on hold while you seek change."

In March a teenager was left alone in London after a trip, as the rest of the group headed back to the North East on the train.

Head teacher Gareth Rowe said at the time there was "no excuse".