Two children were stranded alone in the dark for more than an hour after a school football match.

Their parents are calling on the school to tighten its safety procedures and want to know why the teacher supervising the match left without ensuring the children had been safely collected.

The families of Damian Paine, ten, and 11-year-old Nicole Gower launched a frantic search when the youngsters went missing.

Eventually, they were found in a nearby petrol station, still wearing their PE kit and asking to use the phone.

The young friends were cold, frightened and upset.

The pair, who are pupils at Coombe Road Primary School in Brighton, were due to be met by Nicole's father outside Woodingdean Primary School, the match venue, but his car broke down.

Nicole's grandfather went to collect them instead but found the match already finished and the children nowhere to be seen.

Coombe Road headteacher Dennis O'Sullivan promised to undertake a full review of procedures.

He said: "At the end of the match, two pupils left their teacher to get their lift home. Unfortunately, the lift was delayed because of a breakdown and the teacher returned to the school without knowing this.

"We regret this was not addressed straight away. The pupils dealt with the situation very well.

"As a parent myself, I understand the anxiety this has caused and we are all relieved there was a happy ending, with both children returning to the school none the worse for the experience.

"The teacher who was supervising the children is very experienced in taking after-school activities. This has never happened to either him or Coombe Road Primary before but I will be undertaking a full review of procedures."

Nicole's mother, Julie, of Bakery Mews, Coombe Road, said: "We were frantic. We only found the children by chance because Nicole's grandfather went into the Esso garage and found them there.

"They had managed to use their common sense and asked to use the phone but couldn't get through.

"They were very shaken and worried they'd been left."

Damian's father, Steve, of Hillside, Bevendean, said: "I'm just so annoyed and angry. It was pitch black."

Mr O'Sullivan said the health and safety of pupils was the school's highest priority and he took parents' views very seriously.

He said: "I recognise the importance of security and supervision at school and we must all take responsibility for it. I believe in open and honest communication with parents.

"Recently, I reorganised the collection of pupils because one door in particular was not suitable for access to the school. We are monitoring arrangements all the time.

"The pupils get a great deal out of after-school activities and I very much hope this incident will not deter parents from allowing them to take part."

The families thanked the Esso garage for the help they gave the children.