GLASGOW City Council has issued a statement after a post went viral on social media over concerns about a pupil at a school.

The post which has received hundreds of likes and shares on Facebook was posted by a member of the public over concerns for a pupil at Howford Primary School in the South Side. 

Now the council has stepped in to reassure the public over what the initial poster claimed to have witnessed. 

The local authority said the post had caused distress to the family concerned. 

A Glasgow City Council spokesman said: "We do not often directly address individual social media posts, but due to the nature of the content, we feel compelled to directly address the issue of a post that is currently circulating on Facebook regarding Howford Primary School.

"We appreciate and understand people’s concerns and the concerns of those who have commented and shared the post. We would actively encourage people to alert both the council and relevant authorities to issues or incidents that seem alarming and raise concern. This should be done through the appropriate channels and not through social media where too often instant posts can be misconstrued.

"People should be mindful before sharing posts online, as personal and often complex circumstances are not known and rarely taken into account. This has caused distress to the family who are very aware of the incident.

"We can’t go into detail in order to protect the privacy, well-being, and welfare of our families, but please be assured that the matter has been fully considered and the pupil and family are safe.

"Again, thank you to any members of the public who raise concerns they may have – the safety of our children and young people is paramount."