DISABLED artist Alison Lapper has hit out after her teenage son was placed in an anorexia unit before his death - despite never having the eating disorder.

Parys Lapper, who was 19 when he was found dead in a hotel in Worthing last month, had been sectioned at the age of 17, his mum revealed today.

She previously claimed he took an overdose after being bullied about her disability.

In an interview with BBC Radio 4's Today programme, Ms Lapper described the provision of mental health care for teenagers as "appalling".

>> SEE ALSO: Alison Lapper heartbroken that son will miss her wedding day after he was found dead at hotel

The 54-year-old, from Shoreham, said: "He got sectioned at 17. He got sent to an anorexic unit.

"What good is that to somebody thats isn't anorexic? Those weren't his problems.

"And he got thrown out of there because the psychiatrist said there wasn't anything wrong with him and that care in the community is what he needed."

She said from that day on, Parys got "pushed and moved from pillar to post."

She said: "And I feel like he's been let down.

The Argus:

"All the places you get sent to when you're what's known as a 'difficult' teen is not somewhere where you get 24-hour supervision - and that's what he needed but he didn't get it."

"The people who did work with him did try their best but mental health, you know, the facilities that are out there I think are appalling."

She said Parys's mental health began to be affected when he started secondary school in Sussex and pupils would give him strange looks because of her disability.

Ms Lapper, who was born with no arms and shortened legs, posed nude while pregnant with her son for a piece of artwork by Marc Quinn which was placed on the fourth plinth in London's Trafalgar Square in 2005.

She said: "The teenage years kicked in. He went from a small school to a massive school, which I think had an impact," she told the BBC.

"I know he got into a fight and he punched someone because they said something about him or myself.

"That wasn't Parys. He didn't go around punching people, but obviously that triggered something."

Following his sectioning, he was treated in Sevenoaks, Kent.

The Argus:

Ms Lapper said she attempted to get him moved back closer to her home, but he was moved to the anorexia unit instead.

She was with her son just days before his death and his funeral service was held on Thursday, with bikers turning out to pay their respects.

She added: "I miss him. I'm absolutely heartbroken. I feel like he has been let down."

She previously said her son had died of "an accidental overdose" and was suffering from depression and anxiety.

The grieving mum spent eight hours with her 19-year-old son, crying, hugging and kissing his hair.

Parys had featured in the BBC documentary series Child of Our Time, and his mum said he had been "out of control" before his death.