PARENTS have hit after children as young as five were allowed to wander away from a Galashiels school's breakfast club.

And they believe only good fortune of other family members discovering some of the youngsters walking beside busy roads prevented any harm coming to them.

Scottish Borders Council's response to the incident last Wednesday, where it is understood as many as four children disappeared from Langlee Primary's breakfast club, was to introduce a new signing-in system.

And bosses issued a group message on Monday stating that the pre-class club doesn't provide playground supervision.

One furious mum told the Border Telegraph: "Absolutely anything could have happened to my child and we've not even had an apology.

"My child just wandered away from the school and started walking down the pavement.

"How can a school have a breakfast club without any supervision of the children - these are primary school children we are talking about.

"I am disgusted and outraged."

Langlee Primary's breakfast club has been operating for almost a decade and is open to all pupils from 7.30 each morning.

Dozens of parents regularly use the service to allow them to get to work.

But, according to some, they were unaware that if children left the hall they were unsupervised.

Another mum, who we agreed not to name, told us: "There have been problems before with children leaving during school time but we all just assumed they were safe and looked after during breakfast club.

"I hate to think what could have happened to my child last week - thankfully they didn't get far before they were spotted, but there are so many strange people out there.

"I want answers from the school not just a group message."

Scottish Borders Council has carried out a review following last week's incident.

And they have introduced a signing-in sheet for all pupils.

A spokesperson told us: “The Langlee Primary School breakfast club has been running successfully since it was introduced, providing breakfast for children and their parents daily between 7.30 and 8.45am.

“Supervision is available in the dining hall where children are welcome to remain until it is time to line up where they will be escorted by an adult outside.

“In response to a concern raised by one parent last week, the school has reviewed their processes and a sign-in sheet has been introduced to enable staff to monitor the number of pupils attending.”

Last May we highlighted how police had been called to Langlee Primary several times to help find missing children.