WHEN four-year-old Morgan Murphy started her first day of school, her mum and dad were there to make sure she settled in - thanks to American retail giant Wal-Mart.

Mum Annette Threlfall, 25, works as an administration clerk at Asda in Blackburn.

And, like all Asda employees across the country, she was entitled to a half-day holiday to drop her daughter safely at the school gates.

Asda has adopted its American new owner Wal-Mart's 'first day, half day' initiative, a unique scheme which allows working mums and dads a half-day holiday on their child's first day at school.

Annette and her partner Paul Murphy, 25, of Wasdale Avenue, Blackburn, also have a ten-month-old daughter, Taylor.

They thought the scheme was a great idea as it meant they could both take Morgan to Belthorn Primary School for her first day. Annette said: "I only work mornings anyway so I got the whole day off to make sure Morgan arrived safely.

"Paul works nights so we both went along to the school to make sure she settled in.

"She's been really excited about starting school and two of her friends from nursery were also starting with her. I think I was more nervous than her".

"I've worked for Asda for ten months and they've always been really flexible with my hours, especially when Morgan started Longshaw Nursery in Blackburn."

An Asda spokesperson said: "As the autumn term starts all colleagues are entitled to a half-day off, regardless of contracted hours and length of service.

"They now no longer have to tear themselves away from the school gate to return to work but instead stay and settle their children for their first morning at school.

"Alternatively they can use the half -day holiday to collect them from school at home time."

The issue of family friendly working was brought to the fore with the recent launch of a consultation document on parental leave by the Department of Trade and Industry.

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