BURNLEY'S MP has vowed to continue the fight for parents who are trying to get their children into secondary schools of their choice.

Peter Pike says he has held full and frank talks with Lancashire education chiefs in the run up to the start of the appeals hearings next week, when around 200 parents in Burnley and Pendle will try to change the county's decision on which high schools their children will go to.

Mr Pike told the Citizen: "I met the chairman and vice chairman of education at county hall and we had a full and frank discussion.

"I have made it clear that if appeals leave problems unresolved and parents come back to me, then we will need another meeting. Burnley's Labour county councillors and myself are working together on the subject."

He added: "I have advised all those parents who have approached me about appeals, which are independent."

Eighty-six per cent of Burnley children got their first-choice school. One twentieth were given their second choice, and one per cent their third. But almost a tenth got a school which was neither their first, second nor third choice.

Mansfield High School in Brierfield was the most oversubscribed, with 110 appeals due to take place. There will be 72 for Ivy Bank, Habergham and Gawthorpe schools.

Mr Pike says a number of possible solutions should be considered, including increasing capacity at popular schools, building new ones or making single-sex schools mixed.

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