Futuristic technology will be introduced at a school to allow students to buy lunch and borrow books in the blink of an eye.

Venerable Bede Secondary School in Ryhope, Sunderland, is set to install an iris recognition system which can identify people by scanning their retina.

Scanning machines will be installed in the school's canteen and library and, as a student approaches, their eye will be photographed.

A computer will then bring up their individual account, containing information about cash credit for lunch or enabling them to take out a book.

The system will be permanently installed as part of a #14 million plan to create a new state-of-the-art school campus for the Venerable Bede School, to be completed by September 2003.

Students and staff have decided to try the technology rather than using a swipe card system, as cards can be easily lost.

Assistant headteacher David Airey said: "We think iris recognition will be more cost-effective in the long term than cards which need to be replaced and reissued, and students do have a tendency to leave their cards at home."

The school will also use iris recognition to remove the stigma attached to pupils who receive free school meals and have to use coupons instead of cash at lunch times.

Headteacher Dr Ed Yeates wanted to remove any sense of inequality in the school, as well as the need for students to take cash to school.

After concluding that cards were too unreliable, The Venerable Bede school decided to go ahead with the James Bond-style technology so students could leave their cash and meal tickets at home.

Russell Hawes, from CBR Solutions, the Edinburgh-based company chosen to implement the new technology, said: "This recognition system is extremely reliable and misidentification is virtually unknown."

"The kids love it and they're really excited," added David Airey.