Two boys suspended from school after a squirrel was kicked to death in the playground will not be prosecuted.

RSPCA officials cannot take legal action against the teenage pair because the animal's body was discarded.

The pupils, who attend Oathall Community College in Haywards Heath, are reported to have chased the animal across the playground before throwing a football at it.

Teachers took the squirrel to a vet in Oathall Road but it had already died from its injuries.

The pair, both in their early teens, were suspended from school for two days and the RSPCA initially threatened to prosecute after they were contacted by the school.

But the animal welfare charity can no longer go ahead with the case because the squirrel's body has been thrown away.

RSPCA spokeswoman Claire Kennett said: "We need a body to prosecute someone. All we could do otherwise was to give the boys a verbal warning."

If they had been prosecuted, the boys could have faced a fine of between £3,000 and £5,000 or six months in a young offenders' institution.

Ms Kennett said: "Anyone indulging in this kind of behaviour can expect to be punished. There was a case in Kent when a hedgehog was kicked to death by two pupils and they were convicted and now have a criminal record.

School spokesman John Blackholly said the pair were sorry for what they had done.

He said: "Both boys are very remorseful. When we found out we contacted the RSPCA and they have been talking to the boys and their parents.

"It has left us all very upset and concerned. They just got carried away.

"In my experience, this kind of thing is highly unusual at the school in part because of the rural aspect of the school. Injured animals are usually brought in and cared for."

He said although the pupils were now back in school, they were subject to the school's disciplinary procedure but he declined to give details.