A Bradford mum is furious after her three-year-old daughter had chunks of her hair cut off by another youngster at nursery.

Mandy Emmerson, 38, of Byland Grove in Allerton, claimed the incident unfolded without any intervention from eight staff members in attendance.

Her two youngest children, Honey, aged three, and Beau, aged four, attended Ley Top Nursery up until last week.

That is no longer the case after the shocking incident Honey was subjected to last Thursday, apparently at the hands of an over-excited five-year-old and a pair of scissors.

The school said it understood the upset the incident had caused for the family and is investigating what happened.

Recounting what happened, Ms Emmerson blasted: “I got a phone call from the Head of Early Years last Thursday saying that another pupil had cut off Honey’s pigtails and fringe.

“She said that staff couldn’t be expected to watch the children at every moment but there were eight of them there, so how did they let it get that far?

“I don’t place any blame on the child whatsoever.

"The teachers have not done the job they’re paid to do. It’s a serious safeguarding issue.

“I held off going straight to the paper, because I wanted to talk to the school first. I spoke to the headteacher and the Head of Early Years on Monday and asked if they could take the scissors out of action while their investigation was going on.

“I’d not even realised originally that children as old as five attended the nursery and the scissors the older kids use are obviously quite sharp given that they cut Honey’s hair off.

“The school told me that they couldn’t take the scissors away as the kids needed them to do their arts and crafts.

“I thought that was ridiculous, as if a teacher had been attacked with them, they would have suspended their use and the pupil straight away.

“It was only when I threatened to go to the papers that they agreed to temporarily stop using them.

“People have told me to speak to the press, as other parents will want to know about what happened.

"Surely they’d be worried about whether their own children will be happy and safe at Ley Top.”

Ms Emmerson’s oldest daughter, Mylie, still attends the school, which is in a separate building to the nursery.

She said the seven-year-old was thriving there.

It is a more complicated situation for Honey and Beau though.

Asked whether she’d been able to find a place for them elsewhere, Ms Emmerson said: “I’ve had to take them back to their childminder for now.

“I’m a dental nurse so I can’t afford to look after them full time.”

In a statement, Sandra Rouse, Headteacher at Ley Top Primary School, said: “I completely understand the upset that this incident has caused for the family.

“We’re investigating what happened and I have met with the mother to explain this.

“I do want to reassure parents that all the equipment that our Early Years pupils use is the same as that found in other schools.”