A CARE worker from Bacup has hit out at Calderdale College after a vital piece of coursework was lost in the post.

Alma Waddington was one of a number of care workers from Burwood Rest Home, Bacup, who signed up for a distance-learning course in dementia care at the college.

They spent hours between shifts to complete four coursework books, then a final assignment at the end of the 12-month course.

An external assessor came to collect the final piece of work from the Todmorden Road rest home last month.

But instead of their results, the care workers later received a letter from the college saying their final assessments had been lost in the post, and they would have to re-do the assignment in order to get their qualification.

Mrs Waddington, 51, of Gladstone Street, said: "We were all shocked and disappointed. We did all the coursework in our own time, it was hard work and quite complicated.

"We don't get paid to do the courses, it's our choice to help us do our jobs better."

She added: "I've been a care worker for over 20 years and have done 12 courses at different colleges.

"This the first time I've done one with Calderdale, and it's definitely the last."

Some of her colleagues had already done the work again but Mrs Waddington said she had lost heart.

Lancashire county councillor Sean Serridge, who has complained to the college on their behalf, said: "I think it's appalling that the college just sent a letter out saying they would have to re-submit their work.

"The women have put a lot of hard work and effort into the course."

Louise Dawson, head of faculty for health, care, education and business at Calderdale, said: "It is regrettable that a small batch of written assignments went astray in the post.

"We contacted the awarding body to see if there was anything we could do to avoid the learners having to re-sit the paper again, but there wasn't."