ANGRY parents with children at a Burnley primary school today launched a petition to allow pupils in before classes begin.

Families are furious that children are left standing outside Rosewood Primary, Rosehill, until 8.55am in bad weather but education bosses said they had based the decision on problems with "hidden dangers" in temporary classrooms.

The school recently merged with Healey Wood Primary and children are due to move into a new building later this year.

But parents launched the protest because the rule means children are left outside in the cold and rain.

Natalie Greenwood, 21, of Montrose Street, is concerned about her four-year-old son Nathan. The child has asthma which Natalie claims is being made worse because he has to stand outside in the rain and wind. She approached the headmaster about the situation last week.

She said: "He told me there was nothing he could do because the insurance didn't allow pupils to come into school before 8.55am.

"I explained that Nathan has asthma but he still told me there was nothing he could do. But my son's health is being affected by this and something needs to be done.

"It is not our fault the school has been merged, the school should be more interested in the welfare of it's pupils."

Natalie added: "I contacted the education department and they told me it was at the headteacher's discretion if they allowed children inside before the school opened.

"Other schools around here don't adhere to this policy so I don't see why this school has to. We are not asking for much, just for the children to have some sort of shelter when it's bad weather."

Natalie has now teamed up with Helen Cairnes, 25, of David Street, Burnley, whose four-year-old daughter Lauren also attends the school.

Natalie said they are now planning to approach other parents at the school to ask them to sign the petition.

Iris Baxter, deputy headteacher, said the school may consider reviewing the policy when the pupils move into a new building.

She added: "The headteacher makes the decisions regarding what time children are allowed into the school along with Lancashire County Council and school governors which may be reviewed when the building is complete."

A Lancashire County Council spokesman said: "If children are allowed into school then they need to be supervised and unless a special arrangement has been made, a school is not legally obliged to let pupils into the building.

"Many schools in Lancashire have breakfast clubs and pre-school clubs which mean the children can go into school early in the morning, but this can only happen providing the clubs are fully supervised.

"Rosewood is in a temporary building with temporary classrooms with ongoing building work which means there could be hidden hazards for pupils. It could be dangerous to let children into the building if they were unsupervised."