A furious mother is seeking legal advice because of a bullying campaign she claims is being waged against her son.

For months, 12-year-old Michael Millar has been bullied by fellow pupils at Colchester's Thomas, Lord Audley School.

This week, as he was walking home, he was pelted with stones near the school grounds.

While the school takes the matter of bullying very seriously, his mother Katrina Millar claims not enough is being done to stamp it out.

Mrs Millar claimed Michael was bullied during PE lessons and outside the school.

In a bid to end her son's torment, Mrs Millar has even tried taking Michael out of the school, but her attempts were unsuccessful.

She said: "It just seems to be happening again and again and it's affecting his health."

It has now got to the stage where the boy is afraid to go to school, and the abuse he is suffering is affecting his health, said Mrs Millar.

She has spoken to the school's headteacher Bob Brewster, who said the school was taking the matter very seriously and was still investigating.

Mrs Millar plans to write to the school governors and has already contacted councillor Terry Sutton and taken legal advice. Mr Brewster said he had been in discussion with both Mrs Millar and her husband Keith, and said the head of year was notified immediately.

"It is an on-going process at the moment. We understand the parents are very concerned. We are generally very attentive and we would do whatever was appropriate. It is an issue that, of course, concerns parents, but it worries us as well.

"The head of year spoke to Michael a few days ago and he felt the boy seemed reasonably relaxed about the situation. But our efforts will continue."

Mr Brewster added that usually bullying incidents could be resolved, but when they happened out of grounds and out of school hours it should initially be dealt with by the police.

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