HAYDON Flanagan just wants to make friends at school. The 10-year-old Lainesmead Primary School pupil says he has been picked on for the last 18 months by a group of eight boys.

His parents, of Dudmore Road, want something done to stop him suffering at the hands of bullies who have been making his life hell.

And headteacher Jeannette Turner can now reassure them that the bullies will be temporarily excluded from the school.

Mickealla Maguire, 30, a childminder, and Mark Flanagan, 31, a Honda worker, say they cannot watch their son be put through any more turmoil at school.

They say he was singled out as a target by the bullies 18 months ago and since then the problems have been getting worse.

Haydon has found himself with no friends in the playground and spends break times stood next to the school caretaker for protection.

And it is not just schoolboy taunts that have been making Haydon's life a misery.

He has been punched and kicked repeatedly, hit with sticks and his mum says the bullies have even threatened to break his legs and stab him.

He said: "Sometimes school is fun but I don't like it when people pick on me and when I get hurt.

"It makes me feel angry and upset. I don't know why they don't like me."

But throughout his ordeal Haydon has continued going to school.

"I feel okay about going to school," he said. "RE is my favourite subject."

He added: "I just want people to like me and for no-one to hurt me. My mum gets upset about it and I give her a hug because that's what she does when I feel upset."

Haydon's parents, who have another son, four-year-old Aron, are getting married today.

And this has taken Haydon's mind off his problems for a while.

"I'm going to be a page boy with my brother, I can't wait," he said.

But his parents say they were heartbroken when they found out about the bullying and how bad it had got.

"As a mother it just breaks my heart to see Haydon going through this," said Miss Maguire.

"I feel like I must have done something wrong.

"I had to drag what's been happening out of him because he hates upsetting me.

"It started off with all the goodies being stolen from his lunch box but then it got worse.

"The children stopped talking to him, he was coming home with bruises all over his body, his bag handles were ripped off his school bag and his clothes had rips in them."

She added: "I feel terrible because while all of this has been happening I have been making Haydon go to school because I didn't know about it and the problems have been escalating."

The couple have had meetings with the school and considered moving Haydon somewhere else for his final year.

But they now hope this is the end.

"I feel relieved the school has finally done something but it's taken them a long time and I just don't know what effect this will have had on Haydon in the long run," said Miss Maguire.

Mrs Turner said: "Any case of bullying in the school is followed by a thorough investigation.

"There has been a clear case of bullying here and I have regretfully taken the step to exclude the pupils for a short period of time. I hope the seriousness of their actions is clear to them and I have engaged the full support from their parents."

Mrs Turner is now looking forward to welcoming Haydon back to school on Monday morning.