THE story of how tragedy stalked a family of 10 unfurled at court when he appeared before magistrates for failing to send his children to school.

Dad-of-eight, Shaun Rhodes, had brought his children up alone after his wife died of heart failure. One of the children, a daughter had died, and one of

his sons had to have a kidney transplant and was in a wheelchair.

One of his teenage sons repeatedly left school and was found in the cemetery at his mother's grave, defence lawyer Gerry Coyle told Blackpool magistrates.

Rhodes, 44, of Hill Street, South Shore, Blackpool, pleaded guilty to two offences of failing to ensure a child's regular attendance at school. He had a previous conviction for a similar offence.

Presiding magistrate at Blackpool, Mrs Susan Khan, told Rhodes: "We understand the circumstances and are not going to send you to prison. You will have to work with your children to make sure they go to school, because if they don't comply you could go to prison."

Rhodes was sentenced to a 12 months rehabilitationorder and told to pay £50 costs. Carmel White, prosecuting for Blackpool Council's Education Department, said the offences related to Rhodes 14-year-old son Donovan who was registered at Palatine High School and Craig, aged 15, who attended St Georges High School.

Between August 30 and November 8 last year Donovan's attendance at school was just four percent and Craig's attendance 24 percent. The education department had tried visits letters and telephone calls to the family but there was no improvement in the children's truancy. The prosecutor added: "Donovan's recent attendance at school remains woeful and Craig's is little better, although in the last two weeks there has been some improvement in the attendance of both boys."

Gerry Coyle, defending, said: "This is an exceptional case. I think if someone were asked to draft a tragic tale of woe this would be it. This is not a case of a father neglecting his duty, but of him being beset by tragedy.

"All the children are still upset by their mother's death and the death of the other child in the family.

"My client has taken Craig to school, but within an hour or two there is often a call from the school to say he has disappeared. He has been found wandering at Carleton Cemetery at his mother's grave."

The defence added that Rhodes 10-year-old son Ryan had recently had a kidney transplant. He was in a wheelchair and had to be taken frequently to Pendlebury Childrens Hospital in Manchester, which was another strain on the father. The defence said: "Things are improving. Donovan is now enjoying Palatine. Craig is doing his GCSE's and has started taking school seriously."