A BOY of 12 has been expelled from school after he allegedly pointed a ball-bearing (BB) gun at teachers.

Brian Atherton was expelled after he got the BB gun out of his school bag and pointed it at teachers.

Now his parents have hit out at the decision and said he has been treated harshly.

Education chiefs said they were right to expel him and said they would not tolerate guns of any kind in school.

Brian's parents, Paul and Debra, said he should be allowed back to the County Durham school, but their appeal against the decision has already failed.

Mr Atherton, 38, a coach driver, of Blackhill, Consett, said: "He has been expelled after being accused of taking a BB gun out and threatening the teacher with it.

"I accept he had the gun, but I do not believe a word of it that he threatened the teacher.

"I agree he was wrong to get the gun out, but I think he should just have been suspended, not expelled completely."

Brian was expelled from Blackfyne Community School, in Blackhill, Consett, after the incident in September.

His parents said he only had the gun with him so he could give it back to the person who owned it after school.

Terry Bladen, national president and Durham representative of teaching union the NASUWT, said the school was right to expel him.

He said: "We would support the school 100 per cent if they have expelled him.

"If they had not expelled him, the sort of message that sends out causes problems all around.

"These guns are dangerous and if it had gone off, it could have blinded somebody easily.

"This is not America and guns and knives will not be tolerated in schools. Pupils who bring them in will be excluded."

A spokesman for the County Durham Local Education Authority said: "A pupil went in with a gun and pointed it at two teachers.

"It went to appeal and an independent panel upheld the decision to expel the pupil.

"It was a very serious offence and we will not tolerate this kind of behaviour."