A mum says she fears for her child’s life after rampant bullying at school has left him suicidal.

The woman, who we have chosen not to name, said contacting the Watford Observer was a last resort as she claims Croxley Danes School in Rickmansworth has failed to crack down on the problem.

She also says that her son has been on the Child and Adolescent Mental Health Services (CAMHS) waiting list for six months.

Watford Observer: The mum said her son is a shadow of himself. The mum said her son is a shadow of himself. (Image: Pixabay)

The mum, who lives in Watford, said: “The bullying started over my son’s appearance.

“It is verbal abuse and physical and he has had things thrown at him.”

She continued: “I’ve seen my very strong, very bubbly child slowly turn into this quiet reserved shadow of himself – he is in despair.  

“In my eyes the school has not dealt with the bullying properly. I might be old school, but the parents of the bullies need to be made aware of what is going on.”

The issue has taken such a toll on her son’s mental health that she has put him on "suicide watch" at home.

"It has affected me too," she added. "When he comes home from school I sometimes get the brunt of it, which I understand. It's awful and horrible to see what he is going through."

The mum claims she has tried to speak to the secondary school's head teacher in person or over the phone several times, but this has not yet happened.

She said: “I have never even met the head teacher. I swear he doesn’t exist. He is the invisible man. Every time I try and make an appointment to see Mr Thompson there is no appointment available.”

A spokesperson for Croxley Danes School said: “Whilst it wouldn’t be appropriate to go into the details of this case, we are aware of the situation and are working hard to make sure the student involved feels safe and supported at our school.

“We have a strong anti-bullying policy and senior staff are always willing to speak to any parents who have concerns.”

A spokesperson from the Hertfordshire Partnership University NHS Foundation Trust, which oversees CAMHS, said: “We are unable to comment on individual cases.”

They added that the average wait time from referral to first appointment in CAMHS south is 35 days.

If you feel affected by this and wish to find support, you can contact the Samaritans on 116 123 via phone for a confidential chat or email jo@samaritans.org.