A FOUR-YEAR-OLD girl wandered off after a school lunch-break and walked half-a-mile before staff noticed she was missing.

The school has apologised to the youngster's parents and arranged to step up security at the Tyneside primary school.

The girl's 25-minute walk took her through busy streets and across a main bus route, before she was spotted by a woman who took her to a nearby school.

Staff there rang the girl's school, Hilton Primary, in Blakelaw, Newcastle, and headteacher John Laws collected the youngster.

Mr Laws yesterday said security was being tightened up in the wake of the incident and apologised to the girl's parents.

Her disappearance was discovered during a school roll call.

''It is our responsibility to look after pupils,'' said Mr Laws. ''On this occasion a pupil did wander out of school. Staff and myself dealt with the incident as quickly and effectively as possible.

''This is the first time anything like this has happened in the 25 years I have been a headteacher.

''We have made changes to our security arrangements, which are constantly updated.

''We apologise to the parents for the obvious distress this incident has caused.''

A spokesman for Newcastle City Council said: ''The local education authority is aware of the incident and is in discussion with the headteacher.''

It is understood the girl was heading home after a playground incident with another pupil.