The mother of an 11-year-old girl, who was expelled from school after a teacher was punched in the face, has vowed to appeal against the ruling.

Debra Blackburn said her daughter was distraught about the incident, in Newcastle-upon-Tyne.

However, a teaching union leader said he would be "staggered" if an appeal was successful.

The girl was expelled from Wharrier Street Primary School in Walker, after a playground incident in which deputy headteacher Clare Marriott was punched.

The striking of an adult, a deputy headteacher, within a school is not acceptable

John Heslop, National Association of Head Teachers

Mrs Blackburn, 38, alleged her daughter was being bullied by a group of seven boys and when the teacher stepped in to help she was accidentally caught in the face.

The incident happened at the school last Thursday.

Mrs Blackburn, from Walker, is hoping to meet council education chiefs to sort out her daughter's future.

She said her 10-year-old son had previously been expelled from the same school for disruptive behaviour.

He had been put in an educational unit, which Mrs Blackburn claims made him worse.

'Innocent incident'

He is now due to start mainstream schooling again, but Mrs Blackburn is determined her daughter be placed back in another school rather than in a similar unit.

She said: "I am fighting for my daughter because it was an innocent incident.

"If it was deliberate I would hang my head in shame. She was being picked on by seven lads but nothing has been done about them.

"When she saw how upset the teacher was she asked for her pocket money early and bought her a bunch of flowers, which we took to the school.

"(My daughter) has been crying about this because it is making her out to be a troublemaker."

But John Heslop, regional officer for the National Association of Head Teachers, said teachers have the right to be protected at school.

'Welfare paramount'

"The striking of an adult, a deputy headteacher, within a school is not acceptable.

"If an appeal was successful it would send out the wrong message to pupils, teachers and society.

"I would be staggered if the appeal process was successful from the parents' point of view."

A spokeswoman for Newcastle City Council said procedures laid down by the education authority had been followed.

She said: "The child's parents have a right to appeal and the welfare and best interests of the child remain paramount."