TWO hundred mums and kids marched to the town hall in a bid to halt the closure of after-school play schemes in their town.

But they accused the Tory General Election candidate Rob Frost hopeful of heckling the Mayor Coun Rafique Malik as he received their 2,000-name petition calling on council bosses to scrap plans to cut back on play centres as part of budget savings.

Representatives of the town's 11 playschemes took part in the protest.

Protest spokeswoman Jane Titley argued with Mr Frost and later said she would be writing to the mayor to apologise.

"We were there for the kids, he was there for politics and he certainly tried to hijack our protest. I was fuming," she said.

Another mum, Linda Ormonde, a member of the Picadilly Area Residents' Association, added: "It was disgusting and nothing to do with us."

Coun Malik told the mums Burnley had a hung council, evenly split with 24 Labour and 24 opposition councillors.

He said if he had to use his casting vote on the issue, he would follow his conscience and as a father, he knew what he would vote in the best interests of the children of the town.

Today Mr Frost said he had not heckled the mayor or called him a liar. "I just asked him some questions -- I was supporting the mothers, not hi-jacking anything."

He added: "Whether they like it or not, it is a political protest because the Labour-dominated council is trying to make cuts which affect children.

"They were just being fobbed off by Malik and I believe if these cuts go through he should resign."

The council will make a decision on the proposed cuts at its budget-making meeting on March 7. PICTURE: The Mayor, Coun Rafique Malik, speaks to the protestors outside the town hall after receiving the petition with 2,000 names Little Mollie's message: 'Let me play' LITTLE Mollie Ormonde took a clear message to Burnley town hall -- just "let me play".

Mollie, five, of Sefton Terrace, joined her mum Linda and almost 200 fellow protesters calling on councillors to scrap plans to shut down after-school play schemes.

The proposals were made as part of budget cuts.

Mollie is a member of the Piccadilly paratroopers group, part of the Busy Bees Club which meets three times a week under Holy Trinity School in Every Street.

The group fears the proposed cut-backs would mean an end to the sessions.

Mrs Ormonde, a playscheme volunteer for the past five years, said that the move would undo the good work built up over a long period.

"We can't let it happen -- feelings are running very high," she added.