A RIBBLE Valley headteacher has stressed that no cats have been trapped at her school after rumours and threats towards her circulated on Facebook.

Charlotte Peregrine, headteacher at Brennand’s Endowed Primary School in Slaidburn, has spoken out after claims that she had authorised feral cats to be killed at her school were posted on the social networking site.

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Andy Richards, the shop manager at East Lancashire Cats who originally posted information about a school letter on Facebook, said he based his post on a letter sent to parents by Mrs Peregrine and that he was ‘disappointed’ that commenters then attacked the headteacher personally.

The school has had a long-term problem with cats leaving faeces on the playing field and the headteacher had been looking into solving the problem to tackle the health and safety risk to pupils.

Mrs Peregrine said: “I’d like to reassure local people that no cats, feral or domestic, have been trapped at the school.

“We have a serious and ongoing issue with feral cats defecating on the school grounds which poses potentially serious risks to our children’s health. Given this, I am duty bound to look at ways to resolve the issue but no decisions have been taken so far.

“As an interim measure I have been personally clearing the grounds of the cats’ faeces which enabled us to hold a successful sports day earlier this month.

“Work will continue over the summer on finding an acceptable and effective long-term solution to this issue.”

In the original letter to parents, dated July 15, she said: “I have had a visit from Assured Environmental, who are talking about putting traps down to catch the cats, take them away and put them down.

“However, there is a risk that some domesticated cats may be caught in doing this, and thus, repercussions may ensue.

“Additionally, the process of catching 20-plus feral cats can take some considerable time and the cost could potentially run into four figures.”

Andy Richards said: “At the time I only had the information from the letter to go off and it was my duty to let people know that cats could be being mistreated.

“I’m disappointed in the nature of the comments on Facebook but they are the result of free speech .”