A 12-YEAR-OLD boy is being taken out of school after parents threatened to keep their children at home following an allegation of sexual assault involving a six-year-old girl.

East Lothian Council has today said it has made alternative arrangements for the education of the youngster, who has been referred to the Children's Reporter in connection with the alleged incident.

The announcement follows a furious reaction from parents in the county who were kept in the dark about the allegations for three weeks.

The incident, which is alleged to have happened on Monday, January 23, only came to light when the mother of the six-year-old girl vented her frustration at a lack of action on Facebook on Sunday.

The alleged incident, which did not happen on school premises, is said to have occurred in the Prestonpans area and involved a second boy, aged ten.

It is understood he is also being moved after he was identified on social media.

The boys attend two school in East Lothian which cannot be identified for legal reasons.

On Tuesday evening, nearly 20 parents attended a meeting of Prestonpans Community Council demanding to know what action was being taken to protect their children.

And they threatened to keep their children home when schools returned from their half-term break on Tuesday, unless something was done.

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One mother said: “Unless action is taken, East Lothian Council will have two empty schools next week.”

Parents told the community council they were appalled to discover the boys at the centre of the allegations, who are aged 12 and 10, were still attending classes in the area.

And they condemned the ring of silence which had surrounded the alleged incident.

Another mother said: “The schools were made aware of the incident and parents should have been told. Pupils have been suspended while investigations are carried out into allegations far less serious than this.

“Why, then, was no action taken in this incident? What is being done to protect our children?”

The parents of the young girl involved were also at the meeting and told those present they had gone public because they were frustrated at a lack of action by the schools.

Today East Lothian Council confirmed action was being taken.

A spokesperson said: "‘We are making alternative arrangements for the education of the child referred to the Children’s Reporter."