A GALASHIELS mum is demanding answers after her seven-year-old son was burnt on a school trip - and nobody bothered to tell her.

Furious Amanda Ballantyne only discovered her son's injuries after collecting him from the school bus six hours later.

And she claims her appeals for an explanation and apology have been met by deaf ears.

Amanda's son Lyle was left with several large weeping blisters on each of four fingers after an incident involving a beach fire.

The child only received proper medical treatment for his wounds more than six hours after being burnt.

Amanda told us: "The school didn't contact me to tell me my child had been burnt at the fire.

"I only found out when I met Lyle from the bus and he was really distressed.

"His fingers were wrapped in elastoplasts and the blisters were weeping with sand around the wounds.

"He needed proper medical treatment yet he'd been left all day.

"I took him straight away to be treated by a nurse at the health centre - I was told he was at a high risk of sepsis due to length of time he was left untreated and therefore required cream and antibiotics."

For a further week Lyle's blisters had to be treated and dressed each day.

Amanda had given parent's permission for Lyle to take part in the end-of-term trip to Coldingham Bay with fellow pupils from St Peter's Primary back in June.

But she wasn't told that there would be any beach fires or that only one adult would be responsible for up to 16 or 17 six- and seven-year-olds.

Since the incident she has attempted to get answers to how her son was burnt on the beach and why he wasn't treated.

Amanda, who works as a carer, added: "I want to know why nobody told me my son had been burnt and why he didn't receive proper treatment for his burns.

"Nobody seems to want to take responsibility for what happened to Lyle.

"I went to the headteacher but didn't feel I was being taken seriously - I was handed a letter in the playground to say they were closing the complaint.

"I went to Scottish Borders Council and they've tried to do the same. How safe are our children on these trips?

"My recent emails to Scottish Borders Council are now being ignored."

Education bosses have reviewed health and safety policies at St Peter's Primary School since the incident.

And they believe procedures were followed correctly on the day Lyle was burnt.

A spokesperson said: “We take all matters in relation to pupil safety and welfare extremely seriously and for any trip like the one taken by St Peter’s pupils to Coldingham, would expect a full risk assessment to be in place as was indeed the case.

"However, we have undertaken a full review of St Peter’s policies and procedures as a precaution and are satisfied that these are up to date and accurate.

"If any parent still has concerns we would ask that they contact the school so that these can be addressed.”