A SCHOOL today pledged to investigate a father's claims that his 12-year-old son is being bullied.

Paul Fielding, of Darwen, said he is so fed up of his son coming home from Darwen Moorland High School upset and with injuries that he is considering legal action against the culprits.

But headteacher Richard Bridges reassured him that the school had certain procedures in place to deal with the situation and sanctions for the bullies. He stressed there was no 'quick-fix' solution but the school was 'certainly not giving up on anything'.

Mr Fielding's son, whom he did not wish to name, has been at the school for 18 months and his father alleges that some pupils have been picking on him since his first week.

He has had several meetings with representatives from the school and has an incident book which a school mentor has filled in each time something has happened.

Mr Fielding said: "I've taken my son out of school about five times because of bullying and was told the culprits would be dealt with, but they have not been suspended or expelled and the problem has just got worse because they know that he has gone to the teachers now.

"He is having nightmares and doesn't want to go to school. He has changed tutor twice and his mentor has logged all the incidents but still nothing has been done. He has come home with a black eye, bleeding and one time he was knocked unconscious in the classroom.

"I am having to tell him to fight back, which isn't something you want to teach your child. He is going to kick-boxing to toughen him up." Mr Bridges said: "Each incident has been dealt with individually and we have sanctions in place but it is more important to find out what is behind the problem. Everything that has been reported has been followed up by his head of year. We can't just accuse a child of something because then we would have their parents on the phone saying we've no evidence.

"If we are able to identify who is responsible, that person will be will be withdrawn from lessons. Mr Fielding has been asked to meet our counsellor with whom his son is working, and we are increasing the amount of time he is with him as well.

"We can't wave a magic wand to stop something but we can make sure there are appropriate sanctions in place. We are determined to get through this."