A GIRL of six tortured by bullies tried to kill herself by lying in a road and waiting to be run over.

The youngster's mother told of her horror when she found the girl lying in the road outside their home.

The girl says she endured months of beatings during playtimes at North Fawdon Primary, in Newcastle, from pupils in her class.

But the first her parents knew of the problem was when they found her trying to kill herself.

The parents, who are not being identified, have taken their daughter out of school and are asking why they were not told of the bullying sooner.

They also plan to lodge a formal complaint to Newcastle City Council.

The girl's mother said: "It was during the Easter holidays when we found out how sad she was. I saw her lying in the middle of the road just outside the house and me and my husband ran out to her and brought her back inside.

"We asked her what she thought she was doing and she said she was sick of being hit, sick of being hated and she wanted to kill herself.

"On the last day of the holidays, she told us that she wished she had never been born, as she would not have to go back to school. It tore my heart out."

The mother called the school on the first day back from the holidays, last week, and made an appointment to see the headteacher, Lorraine Alexander.

The parents have now taken their daughter out of the school and she is due to start at another primary school next month.

The family are working with North Fawdon primary so the girl can still sit her Sats exams over the next fortnight.

The school has arranged to send work home so the girl does not miss out, and it is hoped she will attend for an hour a week to sit tests.

Ward councillor David Faulkner said: "I have spoken with the mother and I am trying to arrange a meeting next week with the council's director of children's services to assess what is the best way forward.

"If it is decided that this is not a local education authority issue, but a school one, I shall be writing to the school's chair of governors."

Mrs Alexander said: "Like all schools, we take allegations of bullying very seriously and we make it clear to our pupils that this kind of behaviour is not acceptable.

"We have a very strong anti-bullying policy and tried and tested methods of ensuring that we meet the needs of any pupil who requires extra support. In this particular case, the parent raised concerns with us last week, following the Easter holidays, and we are currently investigating these concerns."