THE headmaster of St Aloysius College, Glasgow, where pupils are coming to terms with the suicide of 12-year-old pupil, Alistair Hunter, said yesterday that no evidence had emerged that the child had been bullied.

Fr Adrian Porter said: ``This is a tragic situation. It would be futile to say there is no bullying at the school. There is bullying at all schools.

``But I do not think that Alistair was bullied or picked on. I do not think that there is any strong evidence that this was the case, and I believe that the police are of the same opinion.''

Alistair, one of four brothers to attend St Aloysius, was found hanging in the garden at his home in Uddingston, Lanarkshire, earlier this week. Fr Porter said yesterday that police had not questioned any pupils. He could not say what might happen in the future.

Alistair's funeral is to leave from the school at the request of his father, Uddingston dentist Mr Ian Hunter, who, said Fr Porter, was also distressed at suggestions his son had been bullied.

``He has said very clearly that he does not believe that was the case. Alistair was a happy child who liked going to school in the morning,'' Fr Porter said.

In response to information received by The Herald that a particularly nasty bullying incident had taken place involving Alistair prior to his death, Fr Porter agreed there had been a rumour, although they had no means of assessing its authenticity.

``We have a very strong policy about bullying at St Aloysius, and we do take this as a very serious issue,'' he said.