A teacher who turned up to work drunk and smelled of alcohol while in class has been struck off.

According to a senior janitor at Castlebrae High School in Edinburgh, history teacher Neil McLean had a stash of alcohol hidden in an old school building.

McLean would make excuses to visit the building and would return smelling of drink, a General Teaching Council for Scotland (GTCS) disciplinary panel heard.

The panel upheld a charge that he had smelled of alcohol while in control of pupils between August and October 2014 after both staff and pupils reported him.

A further charge that he was drunk at the Royal High School in Edinburgh on September 30 was also found proved.

The GTCS panel was shown a report Edinburgh Council had compiled into allegations about his teaching at Castlebrae.

The head teacher said "(Mr McLean) looked, at times, as if he was under the influence of alcohol due to his appearance and being shaky on his feet."

The report also listed the janitor's concerns. He suspected McLean had drink hidden in the old school building and in his car.

However, he also said McLean "had been a fantastic teacher when he started at the school but he then started drinking a lot and went downhill".

Some other colleagues told the council investigation they did not have any concerns about McLean.

Pupils reported smelling alcohol from him, with one claiming to have seen a bottle in his jacket pocket and two claiming to have seen him filling a silver flask with vodka in class.

Royal High head teacher Pauline Walker said McLean had returned to the school after leaving unexpectedly on September 30, looking "dishevelled" and smelling strongly of alcohol.

McLean denied all the charges but did not attend the GTCS hearing.

A further charge that he hit an S1 pupil on the hand with a jotter was found not proved.

Announcing its decision to strike him off, the GTCS panel said: "By acting the way he had, the respondent had failed to be a positive role model to pupils.

"This was particularly so given that pupils had observed his conduct."