A MUM has hit out at a school after her daughter was collected without her permission.

Danielle Huggins, 25, is now getting legal advice after Cherrytree Primary School allowed her daughter to leave the premises with another adult, without her permission.

Miss Huggins’ seven-year-old daughter Kelci was taken unwell at the school, in Church Road, Basildon.

The school tried to contact Miss Huggins, but because she was having blood tests at Basildon Hospital, her phone was off.

Unable to reach Kelci’s mum, the school contacted her grandad who then sent another woman to collect the child.

Although the other woman was known to Miss Huggins, she did not have permission to collect the child and Miss Huggins claims the woman was able to take Kelci without being challenged.

She said: “When I got to the school she wasn’t there. I went to the office and they said she’d already left with her ‘mum’.

“They weren’t able to tell me anything about who she’d left with.

“It was only then that I got a call from my relative saying someone else had picked her up.

“The school didn’t even challenge this person and it could have been a paedophile for all the school knows.”

Only Miss Huggins and Kelci’s grandad have permission to pick her up from school.

Miss Huggins said the school had failed to apologise or explain its actions.

She added: “I’m making an official complaint because the person who picked Kelci up could have been anyone and this can’t be allowed to happen again.”

Following the incident, which happened last Tuesday, Essex County Council, speaking on behalf of the school, defended its actions.

A spokeswoman said: “This child was unwell at school. The teachers and office staff used the contact numbers which had been provided in order to arrange for someone to collect her.

“The officer spoke to the child’s grandad, who said someone would be collecting her from school.

“A short time later the child was collected by someone she knew and was happy to go home with.

“Following this, the child’s mother contacted the school to inform us of her concerns. The headteacher has offered to meet with her to discuss these further.”