A SCHOOL has said it was mistaken over quizzing a child with police about a planned protest without his parents.

Nicky Wishart, 12, was questioned by a police officer after he set up a Facebook group to save the youth centre in Eynsham, set to lose county council cash support.

Nicky and about 20 other youngsters staged a protest outside Prime Minister David Cameron’s constituency office in Witney on Friday.

On the advice of counter-terrorism police, a Bartholomew School liaison officer spoke with Nicky three days before.

Headteacher Andrew Hamilton said: “If there was one element we could have got better, it was to make sure that Nicky’s mother Virginia Phelps was contacted before the interview within the school took place.

“We accept that it was a mistake on our part, that we assumed the interview had taken place and that this was a follow up.” Police have apologised by phone.

Ms Phelps, 41, said she had forgiven the school, which had been “very supportive”.

But she said of police: “I have received a verbal apology, but what about a written apology?”

Nicky was protesting against proposed funding cuts to 20 youth centres across the county.

Eynsham youth centre, along with Bampton, Burford, Carterton, Chipping Norton and Standlake youth centres in West Oxfordshire, face losing cash to save the council £4.2m.

At the protest Nicky said: “The youth centre means loads to me.

“It’s the only thing we have to do in Eynsham.”