ANGRY parents held a stormy public meeting to protest against plans to send their children to secondary schools in neighbouring boroughs.

And the Mellor parents are threatening to keep their children off school rather than send them to school in Accrington.

They gathered in St Mary's School, Mellor, to quiz county councillor Chris Holtom about East Lancashire's escalating school places row.

Ribble Valley parents have been up in arms since their children were offered school places in Accrington, Rishton and Blackburn.

Parent Julie Cafferty, whose son Simon has been offered a place at Moorhead High School, Accrington, said: "My son will have to leave home at 7.10am and catch three buses.

"We are really upset.

"Villagers are prepared to keep their children off school rather than send them there."

The Mellor parents are say they will not send their children to school at the start of the academic year in September unless they are offered places at Ribble Valley schools.

Education chiefs said a higher than usual number of children have applied to Ribble Valley schools.

They are advising parents unhappy with their allocated place to appeal to an independent committee.

Coun Chris Holtom said: "About 50 families in my ward have been offered school places in Hyndburn.

"There has much heated discussion among those affected by this matter and I have spent quite a bit of time explaining the appeals procedure to them.

"I agree with the parents that secondary school provision in the Ribble Valley is inadequate, but have advised them to concentrate on the appeals procedure and not adopt an aggressive approach at this stage."

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