A FAMILY of 13 who moved to Burnley to settle down after being branded 'neighbours from hell' are in dispute with the authorities.

The youngest six Booth children have been withdrawn from school after claims they were bullied on the morning they returned to classes after a three-month absence.

Two of the six alleged they had been kicked by other children in the toilets.

Paul and Gwen Booth and their 11 children moved to Burnley from Yorkshire at the end of last year, after moving house 10 times in a seven-month merry-go-round.

They claim they have moved home more than 90 times since getting married 16 years ago.

The six youngest children, Gareth, 10, Nathan, nine, Disa, eight, Emma, seven, Gwen, six and Bianca, five, started at Coal Clough Primary School.

Mr Booth said they were kept off school because they were being taunted and bullied, punched and kicked.

After being told by education welfare officers that court proceedings could follow if they were not returned, it was agreed that they would go back on Wednesday.

Mr Booth said: "When my wife went to pick them up and bring them back home for dinner, they told her that Nathan and Emma had been kicked by other children. "The headmaster promised to get things sorted out. The school had eleven or twelve weeks to get it sorted, but it started again on the morning my kids went back.

"They are not going back to that school now.

"How can they go back when they are being bullied and kicked about?''

Mr Booth added today: "I have now been warned that I will be taken to court for not sending my children to school and that our children could be taken from us.

"I want my children to go to school and enjoy themselves, but I am not sending them back there. I am hoping they will be able to attend a school in Padiham.''

Former fairground worker Mr Booth, 46, said recent homes have been in Rishton, Blackburn, Padiham, Bacup, Rochdale, Hull, Huddersfield, Bradford and Sowerby Bridge.

He said: "We have been labelled scroungers and neighbours from hell. We came to Burnley because we had been having problems in Yorkshire, especially relating to the accommodation.

"I was suing Calderdale Council for not educating the children, but I have accepted solicitor's advice to drop that.

"The four older children have settled down at senior school in Burnley and another has now left school. Apart from this school problem with the younger children we are happy in Burnley.

"Our five-bedroom home in Coal Clough Lane is like a mansion to us, the landlord is very good and we are hoping to renew our lease. "We are very happy here in Burnley. This is the longest we have ever had in the same house.

"Although we are a big family, we tend to keep ourselves to ourselves. No-one bothers us in Burnley. We close our doors at night time and are happy together.''

The family left their former home in Sowerby claiming they had been hounded out by neighbours. They moved to Bradford, but claim they were hounded out again by vandals.

Mr Booth said people in Burnley were more friendly and not as nasty as those in Yorkshire.

A spokesman for Lancashire County Council said today: "Both the LEA and the school have made repeated efforts to work with the family to discuss their problems and ensure regular attendance at school.''

He added that a multi-agency meeting was now being convened to discuss the case.

School head John Barrett, said that, like at any other school, reported allegations of bullying were taken very seriously.

"Thorough investigations are carried out and appropriate action is taken where incidents are proven.

"Most are dealt with by co-operation between school, parents and the children themselves.''

Often incidents involve name calling and they were dealt with by the staff at the time as had happened in this case.

Mr Barrett added: "For the past nine weeks, school and the Education Welfare Officer have unsuccessfully attempted to discuss any problems with Mr and Mrs Booth.

"Unfortunately, appointments have not been kept and correspondence has been unanswered.

"We have done our best to co-operate with the family for the sake of the children."

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