RECORD numbers of children have been left without a place at either of a town's two high schools.

A group of around 45 disappointed ten and 11-year-olds in Prestwich had set their heart on attending Parrenthorn High or Prestwich Community High School in September, but have been told there is no room for them.

Now Prestwich councillors and Ivan Lewis MP, who is the Junior Minister for Education and Skills, are demanding action from Bury LEA to rectify the problem.

Mr Lewis said: "I want a clear assurance that Prestwich parents who want a place at a Prestwich school for their children will have this requirement met."

He said he accepted that detailed plans to solve the problem would take time but he wants the LEA to alleviate some of the worry being experienced by the parents affected.

"Fears that children will have to travel miles from Prestwich for their education must be quashed immediately," he said.

Each year scores of children in the borough are unsuccessful in securing their first preference for a high school and have to go through the appeals process.

When the appeals process ended last Thursday he said he had never known there to be as many students without an acceptable place, which prompted the councillors to take action.

Mr Lewis said: "Special arrangements will have to be made involving the high schools, parents and the council but the first thing that needs to be addressed is the anxiety and stress faced by parents and children."

Mr Lewis and all of the Labour councillors in Prestwich have written to Coun Steve Perkins, lifelong learning spokesman, for an immediate response for concerned parents.

Coun Perkins said: "We have to let the appeals process run its course. Those who failed in the first round of appeals now have the chance to appeal for another school and that will take a few weeks.

"If we did anything before that parents would think we were circumventing the procedure."

He added that there could be a compromise with school places being found in Whitefield.

Coun Perkins said he believed there to be around 45 pupils affected in Prestwich.