The mother of a boy who sparked a major police search after running away has claimed he was being bullied at school.

Lana Preston, 34, complained 11-year-old Andrew's teachers at The Orchards School, in Nelson Road, Worthing, were not doing enough to stop his torment.

She reported Andrew missing at 4pm on Tuesday after he failed to appear for his lift home from school.

Police officers scoured the town with a dog unit and 20 Neighbourhood Watch volunteers before finding him five hours later.

Andrew was spotted at several locations around Worthing during the evening by the police helicopter but kept running off before officers on the ground could reach him.

Police finally caught up with him in Pond Lane recreation ground.

He said: "I was going to come home and then the police ran towards me and I ran around. I was frightened about coming home - I thought I was in trouble."

Andrew says he has been subjected to a campaign of bullying and was chased as he was leaving school on Tuesday.

He said: "It has been going on for about four months. Sometimes it's two of them, sometimes it's three and sometimes it's four.

"It's annoying. I don't want to go back to school."

Mrs Preston, of Wavertree Road, Worthing, said: "Andrew has been bullied at school for quite a long time now.

"There are a couple of other boys in Andrew's class going through the same thing and nothing seems to be getting done."

Mrs Preston said she knew of three other pupils who had reported being bullied at The Orchards.

She said: "It has taken Andrew to do what he has done for the school to see there is a problem that needs addressing. I'm still not aware if the problem has been resolved or if the bullying is going to stop."

A spokeswoman for West Sussex County Council said: "The Orchards Middle School in Worthing has a very strict and robust anti-bullying policy in line with all other schools in West Sussex.

"Any claims of bullying are taken extremely seriously and are investigated as soon as they are reported.

"The school has been offering and will continue to offer Andrew and his family any help and support they may need."