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A schoolboy photographed apparently giving Nick Clegg the middle finger has been described as "legend" by his classmates - even though his mum says his actions have landed him in trouble.

Teenager Harry Payne was snapped apparently flipping the finger at the deputy prime minister as he gave a speech to students at Southfields Academy in London on Thursday.

Today, the Evening Standard reports, the youngster is not in the classroom, and is instead under the watchful eye of mum Nicola Payne.

She says her son was "in trouble" after yesterday's antics - but insisted that the gesture caught on camera has been "misrepresented".

She said: "That picture should not have been used - it misrepresented what was happening."

"We won't be saying anything else about this. Harry is in enough trouble already."

But some of Harry's friends agreed the gesture was not what it seemed - claiming that he was actually swearing at another pupil, not Nick Clegg.

And many seemed to see his larking around in a more sympathetic light than his mum and the school.

On Twitter, @Becca_Mcilroy said: "Ahh it would only be Southfields. Harry your all over the news #quality #legend"

"Harry is quality man!!! Only Southfields Academy to do something like that."

Clegg also seemed to be pleased with his visit - although it's not known if he'd seen Harry's response.