Girl, 4, 'suffering depression'

Mollie is being kept out of school for health reasons

A four-year-old is suffering from depression because she cannot attend the same primary school as her nursery friends, according to her doctor.

Mollie Murphy from Sunderland struggles to sleep and vomits before lessons, so her parents are keeping her at home.

Sunderland Council said Mollie missed out on a place at East Herrington school because of a late application.

Her GP, Kevin Weaver, wrote to the local authority asking for a change of school, citing stress and depression.

'Backwards and forwards'

Mollie's mother, Victoria Anderson, said: "I thought how can a little girl suffer from that? It's an adult's problem and Mollie's only four. But he told me it does happen.

"There wasn't a thing wrong with her before. Her health was fine, but now she's backwards and forwards to the doctors."

Mollie's parents say they are happy with the standards of her current school - Farringdon Primary - but are keeping her at home for health reasons.

A council spokesman said and there were no free places at East Herrington school but the family could appeal to the Local Government Ombudsman