A GROUP of parents who have so far failed in their fight for their four-year-old children to attend the local primary school today appealed to governors: "Please let them in".

Mum Melanie Ormerod spoke as two more children were allocated places at St Oswald's RC Primary School, Knuzden, leaving just three without a place.

Miss Ormerod, who lives in Hardman Close about 100 yards away from the school, is anxious over the future of her four-year-old son Luke.

She said: "There were originally five local children who had been given places elsewhere but since then two people have given backword and two of them have been allowed in.

"That just leaves three children, including my son Luke, and we just don't know what to do next.

Miss Ormerod, who works in quality control at Press Parts, Whitebirk, has two other children aged three and six months.

She said it would be impossible to cope if Luke attended Rishton Methodist School four miles away where he has been allocated a place and that the other parents felt the same.

The parents, who organised a 500-name petition and sent it to Hyndburn's MP Greg Pope, are hoping the governors will have a change of heart.

Nurse Maxine Wallbank is hoping the school will change their mind and offer her four-year-old Billy a place as does grandma Marilyn Duxbury, who wants her granddaughter Bethany to attend the school.

A spokesman for Lancashire County Council said that St Oswald's is a voluntary aided church school and that the Board of Governors are responsible for deciding upon the number of children they take.

No spokesman for the school could be contacted for comment today.

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