A CHILD returning home from school with a cut knee is par for the course. But it obviously prompted one Lancashire family to take legal action against his or her school and win more than £4,000 in compensation.

In total, Blackburn with Darwen and Lancashire County councils have paid out more than £800,000 over the past five years.

Many of these claims will be legitimate, and genuine claims need to be responded to properly because sometimes someone is to blame for a serious failing or negligence.

But a compensation culture will be to blame for many of the pay-outs.

Nationally, one parent made a claim because their child had an allergic reaction in a Santa’s grotto at school.

It all means a big bill for the taxpayers and leads to schools becoming reluctant to run any slightly adventurous trips or activities.

While a change in the law to make councils exempt from claims is a bridge too far, councils need to be braver in contesting the spurious claims to put an end to the time and money wasters.

And action also needs taking against the ambulance-chasing lawyers who can pocket as much for bringing the claim as the victim receives in damages.