Leighann Turner, 14, took an overdose of painkillers in a desperate bid to escape her daily hell after her school failed to solve the problem.

She was found by her mum, Michelle Lawrence, being sick after taking every pill in a bathroom cabinet.

Leighann told her she hadwanted to die to stop the constant beatings and cruel jibes from the gang.

Michelle said: ``I am terrified by how desperate she became and angry that the school is not getting this under control.''

Leighann endured a catalogue of sickening abuse. The bullies: # Threw her against a pottery kiln, cutting her eye so badly she needed stitches.

# Kicked and punched her in the school playground every day as she lay curled up on the ground.

# Stood laughing at her whenshe had panic attacks. # Chased her home and phonedhereveryeveningto threaten her.

# Spat on her.

The final straw came two weeks ago when Leighann stopped breathing during a panic attack when the bullies pouncedon her after school. Her mum had to flag down a police car to take them to hospital.

It was after this she tried to kill herself.

Leighann, of Abbeyhill, Edinburgh, said: ``I just wanted the bullying to stop.

``Every day I was being beaten up or called names.''

Michelle, 34, said: ``I could hear her being violently sick and went to comfort her but thought it was because of all the stress she is under.

``I was shocked she tried to kill herself. I could have lost my girl forever.''

Leighann, a third-year pupil at Holyrood High in Edinburgh, hasbeenpicked on by the gang of girls and boys since first year.

When she told teachers, they put her in an ``isolation room'' with children with learning difficulties.

She said the bullies were not punished and the school told Michelle it was up to her to stop her daughter appearing as a victim.

Council worker Michelle, who also has a 10-year-old son, took her daughter out of school after the suicide attempt and is waiting to hear whether she will get a place on a college course.

Leighann, who wants to be a vet, now studies in her mum's car while Michelle is at work because she is too scared to be alone at home.

Michelle said: ``Leighann is missing out on education because of the bullies.''

A spokeswoman for Edinburgh's education department said: ``All incidents within the school involving Leighann that have been reported have been fully investigated.

``The school is also aware of incidents outwith school hours. The police have been involved in investigating these.

``The school's prime concern is to ensure that Leighann is provided with a safe environment in which to learn and any action will be to try to establish this.''

http://www.dailyrecord.co.uk/news/content_objectid=13423987_
method=full_siteid=89488_headline=-SCHOOL-OF-SHAME-name_page.html

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