BURNLEY'S council leader has said pupils at the town's DIY school are "suffering badly" but admitted he couldn't find an answer to the problem.

The DIY school, set up by parents who were angry their children didn't get a place at their chosen school, has been operating for seven weeks from the Enterprise Centre, in Rossendale Road, Burnley.

It currently has nine pupils, who are being taught by voluntary teachers with the help of parents.

The parents have admitted that their children are suffering because they are not in mainstream schools, although they say they will carry on fighting for what the believe is right.

A spokeswoman for the DIY school said: "Stuart Caddy is right -- the pupils are facing some difficulties because we are relying on teachers offering their time for free and can't offer the same activities and subjects as what they would get being at a main stream school.

"We are doing our best to give them a sound education but it would be better if they were in school.

"The education system has let us down badly but we are not prepared to back down until our children get a place in one of the three schools which we first opted for."

Pupils at the DIY School have been refused places at Habergham, Ivy Bank and Gawthorpe, which, in many cases, are in walking distance of their homes. Stuart Caddy said he went to visit the school with County Councillor Marcus Johnstone on Saturday but as a borough councillor his hands were tied because the responsibility lies with the county council.

He said: "I think it's a tragedy and an injustice for these children. We need to get these children into a system of education. The schools are bursting at the seams, they can't put the children into the schools because they simply haven't got the places.

"The DIY school was a temporary solution for the children but they are suffering badly and experiencing some real difficulties. Unless somebody will come in with a magic wand, the schools can't take in any more."

Burnley MP Peter Pike is set to visit the school tomorrow morning to find out how the children are getting on and to see what action can be taken to help them get into school.