Police have investigated claims that a child was assaulted outside a school - but say they found no evidence.

The alleged assault was reported outside Moulsecoomb Primary School as parents as campaigners blocked academy representatives from entering the building last week.

The Pioneer Academy (TPA), which aims to take over the school, said the allegation was made against its CEO Lee Mason-Ellis.

It was reported he grabbed the wrist of a boy while trying to get into the school, an allegation he denied.

After an investigation, Sussex Police said they found no evidence of a crime being committed.

A spokeswoman for the force said: "While in attendance at a protest outside a school in The Highway, Brighton, on Monday, May 10, police received a report of an assault.

"It was alleged a man had grabbed the wrist of a boy while trying to enter the building.

"No injuries were reported to police.

"Officers took the details of all those involved and witnesses at the scene, and after an investigation it was found there was no evidence of a crime being committed and no further action will be taken."

There was a three-hour stand-off last Monday when representatives from the academy found they had been locked out.

The gates at Moulsecoomb Primary were padlocked to stop people from TPA entering the building.

They were due to visit the school but when they arrived at the site at about 7.45am they found entrances had been bolted shut by campaigners.

All side entrances to the school in The Highway, Brighton, were padlocked with directions to parents and children to enter by the main gate.

The main gate was protected by about 30 campaigners and parents who were refusing to let academy staff in.

The police were called amid the stand-off, which went on for several hours, but there were conflicted reports about who made the call.