Frustrated parents who claim their children are victims of bullying at a Canvey school have joined forces to tackle the problem.

They said they had nowhere else to turn over the situation at the Wintergarden Junior School.

Head teacher Mike Blant said reports of bullying are taken seriously and investigations have followed school policy.

Kelly Lee-Sang, whose son Luke goes to the school, said her son has been subjected to racist abuse as well as being attacked outside the classroom.

Mrs Lee-Sang, who lives on the Castle View development, said: "I had to take my son out of school for three weeks because this is going on and the school are doing nothing to stop it.

"I have spoken to the headteacher, but he just said if I had a problem maybe I should take my son out of school. I could remove my child and forget about this but what about the next child?"

Bonnie Hepworth, of Eastways, realised there was a problem when her autistic son Gregory started wetting the bed.

She found out he had been punched and stabbed in the hand with a pencil.

Sharon and Greg Zake-vics, of Ambleside, claim nothing was done even when their daughter was scratched and had her shoes broken in front of a teacher.

Mr Blant said the incidents had been "isolated altercations and not ongoing problems".

He added: "The school has an excellent record in dealing with antisocial behaviour with the right balance of punishment and reconciliation to wrongdoing.

"The school also has a good record in bringing bullying out in the open - not because the school has any greater problem with bullying than any other - but because it believes children have a right to work and play in a safe environment."

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