A FATHER has won his battle to find a mainstream school place for his teenage son.

Terence Clarke had hoped that when 15-year-old Daniel Brooks came to live with him in October last year he would be able to attend Burnley’s Unity College.

But Lancashire County Council refused to award the teenager a place there or at an alternative secondary school in the town.

In desperation Mr Clarke, of Waddington Avenue in Burnley, turned to the Lancashire Telegraph last month for help with his plight.

Now, following an appeal, Daniel has been given a place at Unity College starting in September.

Both the teenager, who has ADHD and has been home tutored for several months, and his 41-year-old father are delighted.

The county council had suggested Daniel might be more suitable for an ‘alternative provision’ school.

Single father-of-two Mr Clarke said yesterday: "We have won out appeal and the headteacher has said my son will be able to study in both Year 10 and Year 11 classes as appropriate top his personal educational needs which is what we have always wanted.

"I am very very pleased and Daniel is very happy and relieved.

"He can now go back to a mainstream school in September and study for his GCSEs.

"We are both very grateful to the Lancashire Telegraph for everything.

"Until the paper intervened we were getting now here and now this has happened.

"Daniel has ADHD but is not disruptive. He is a bright lad."

The county council letter said the appeal panel was satisfied there were 'special factors' in the case which meant Daniel should be given a place at Unity College even though it had filled all the allocated places it had for that age group.

In a letter to Burnley MP Julie Cooper, the county council’s director of education Edwina Grant admitted: “There have clearly been unnecessary delays in identifying appropriate education for Daniel.”

The teenager had had moved to live with Mr Clarke from his mother and step-father’s. As they were in the military, Daniel had moved around a lot.

Mr Clarke said: "Now Daniel can start normal schooling and normal life."

For the last weeks of the school year the county council took over paying for the home tutoring from Mr Clarke.