LANCASHIRE County Council has sacked more school staff after allegations of more assaults than almost anywhere else in the country, according to new figures.

Nearly 500 allegations of physical and sexual abuse were made against people working in Lancashire schools over the past three years.

Data, which came to light as a result of a Freedom of Information request, shows that during the last three academic years the education authority received 494 complaints against staff – and 65 people were sacked or left.

The figures include teachers and those without Qualified Teacher Status, ranging from classroom assistants to grounds staff.

As a result of the allegations, 133 members of staff were suspended. The majority of complaints were made against non- teaching staff.

Last year there were 157 allegations, down from 195 in 2009/10 but up on the 142 allegations made in 2008/09.

The data is part of the Safe from Harm report, released by law firm IBB Solicitors and carried out by legal research company Jures.

Helen Denton, the county council’s executive director of children’s services, said: “Lancashire is one of the largest authorities in the country and so actual figures will always be greater than many other smaller places.

“We will look carefully at the report, but we must remember that the figures concern the number of allegations, not the number of proven cases which is thankfully quite small.

“The number reported would indicate that people are now more aware and acting appropriately when any allegation is made. In Lancashire all agencies including schools work very closely together to protect and safeguard children.” The research examined the effectiveness of legislation introduced to protect children in the wake of the Soham Murders when Holly Wells and Jessica Chapman were killed by caretaker Ian Huntley.

A number of authorities failed to provide data for the full three year period and not all 152 LEAs in England responded. Of those that did, Lancashire ranked among the highest.

More than a quarter, 27 per cent, of allegations made against Lancashire school-based staff led to suspensions and of those nearly half, 49 per cent, were ultimately dismissed.

Overall, 13 per cent of all allegations led to a dismissal.

Lancashire has been collating data on assaults by staff separately since 2006 but only started splitting the categories to identify teaching and other staff last March.