A MOTHER-of-three has vowed to take on Blackburn Ice Arena over its policy of charging parents to drop off and pick up their children.

Angela Lee, 44, of Beaumont Way, Clearwater Village, Darwen, was outraged when staff at the busy venue said she had to pay £1.20 just to drop her children off for ice skating lessons.

Mrs Lee said she told staff that she was not going to stay with the children while they took part in their lesson, but was going shopping in a nearby store.

She claimed her reasons were ignored and she now plans to draw up a petition and get the signatures of other parents who feel equally aggrieved.

Parents complained began complaining last month about being charged to pick up their children.

But bosses of the site, off Lower Audley, insist that they have begun to enforce the admission charge to cover maintenance costs and pay for public liability insurance.

Mrs Lee said: "I'm very angry about this because I took my kids to the ice arena and said I wasn't going in but the woman said I had to pay the money.

"I told her I was just dropping the kids off and making sure they got their boots OK and that I was going to nip to the nearby Asda.

"They wouldn't have it and said I had to pay.

"I had to pay just to walk through the door and I don't think it's justifiable for them to do that."

She said that the situation had left her with little option but to take action.

"I'm thinking of getting a petition together and get other parents to support it so we don't have to pay this charge.

"I'd stand outside getting names if I had to, I just don't know whether other people would back me.

"They are making up excuses to charge us and when you just want to keep your children off the streets this is ridiculous.

"I have three children that go and it costs me over £30 as it is, is that not enough?"

A spokesman for the arena said the "non-skating admission" charge was essential to ensure that the arena was viable.

He added: "If anyone wants to complain they can write to the managing director at the Ice Arena."