Police are investigating pupils’ claims a “slap a ginger day” was planned to encourage attacks on red-haired classmates.

Pupils at Hove Park School reported they had heard plans being discussed up to two weeks ahead of the hate-filled event.

Sussex Police were called after one 13-year-old-boy reported being assaulted after he stuck up for a red-haired friend.

One pupil told The Argus: “At break time a huge group of people came down to where we were hanging out waiting to slap my friend.

"They were standing there for about 15 minutes, then one of them ran and hit him across the face."

The boy said he hit back at the attackers.

Yesterday (October 20) police were contacted after a group of four or five boys allegedly surrounded him and hit him on the back of the head.

After a meeting at the school the boy’s mother, of Davigdor Road, Hove said: “They said it had all been dealt with and that he would be safe.

“Ten minutes later he went on a break and a huge group crowded round him and he was hit on the back of the head.”

A spokeswoman for Sussex Police confirmed an allegation had been made and the force is working with the school.

Hove Park deputy head teacher Huxley Knox-Macauley said: “There was no sense that this was an organised attack.

"From our view it was an isolated incident and we are dealing with the students involved."

Read more on this story inside today's Argus.