A MOTHER whose baby is battling cancer has spoken of her devastation after her eldest son was banned from attending the end of year school trip.

Leanne Waring said Leo had been left upset by the punishment by St Brendan’s RC Primary in Harwood, after he muttered a swear word after defending himself against accusations of using bad language when he was pulled aside by a teacher.

Mrs Waring said she is not excusing her son’s behaviour and has punished him herself, but called for the school to understand how difficult it has been for him given while his brother, Ted, now 17 months old, is being treated for a brain tumour. This is the final school trip for Leo with his schoolfriends before he goes on to secondary school.

He was banned from going as the family anxiously await results to find out whether Ted has developed another tumour.

Mrs Waring, who lives with her family in Bradshaw, said: “What he did was wrong, and I have punished him at home and he was punished at school by missing Friday break. I agree there should be consequences. He is sorry, at the end of the school day he saw the teacher and went to apologise.

“I told him he would now have to prove himself to the teachers and he has worked so hard and I was really hoping the teachers would change their mind but they didn’t.

“It has been difficult for Leo seeing Ted ill, he is too upset to see him in hospital. He is very worried, not sleeping properly and upset, it does affect him and he can get frustrated.

“He just needs sometimes in school for someone to ask how he is. I was in hospital when I got the phone call, we had taken Ted in because we were worried he had another tumour.

“Leo is so upset, his final memory of school will be that he was too naughty to go on the final trip.

“Ted knows Leo is upset and keeps hugging him.

Couple 'living a nightmare' after 8-month-old baby Ted Waring diagnosed with brain tumour

Mrs Waring took the family out on a special day rather than leave him in the classroom while his friends went bowling followed by pizza.

A spokesman for the school said: “It would not be appropriate to comment on the individual circumstances of any one pupil. At St Brendan’s all decisions are taken in the best interest of our children.”