A school has pledged to review its policies after a 14-year-old girl returning from a school trip in the early hours of the morning was allowed to walk home alone.

Wyke Manor School has apologised after Natalie Edwards made her own way home at 2.30am following an earlier than expected return from a trip to France.

Pupils had been due to arrive back at the school at 3am but were advised to call their parents with an earlier time of 2.30am as the group neared home.

But when Natalie was unable to make contact with her mother, teachers allowed her to walk home, dragging her heavy suitcase behind her.

Her mother Angela Anderson said: "I am really angry about it. She could have been raped, kidnapped or anything.

"The first I knew about it was when I woke to hear her banging her suitcase through the door.

"I couldn't believe they had let her walk home on her own at that time."

Today, the school insisted Natalie and another boy left at the school were both offered lifts home by teachers.

Head teacher Alan Oswin said: "On arrival at school those pupils who had still not made contact were given the use of the school mobile and the option of a lift home.

"Natalie phoned home to the landline but it was unobtainable. She was offered a lift but said she only lived across the road and was happy to walk home with her friend who lived close by."

But Mrs Anderson, of Elizabeth Street, Wyke, said: "I know how lazy my daughter is and if she had been offered a lift, especially with that heavy case, there is no way she would have turned it down.

"Even so, she still should not have been allowed to walk home at that time in the morning.

"The teacher should have said no and not let a child make decisions about their own safety like that."

Mr Oswin said the procedures for dealing with pupils on school trips had now been revised and no pupil would be allowed to leave the school until a parent came to collect them.

He added: "I have apologised to Mrs Anderson and assured her that I would deal internally with staff and take steps to ensure such an incident does not happen again."