BURNLEY mums whose children have been refused places at their chosen school are setting up their own community school as the row over school places continues.

After staging a sit in protest at Habergham High School last week the mums have promised to continue their fight and say they will not back down.

They are angry their children have been offered places at schools that were not one of their three preferences and that are too far from their homes.

The four mothers are also worried that having their children travelling miles across Burnley to get to and from school could be dangerous.

They have had two meetings with councillors and education bosses in the last week but a solution has not been found.

A petition has been started which already has more than a hundred signatures on it. The mothers are hoping the petition will help add some weight to their plight.

The mums, including Debbie Fallows, from Howard Street, Burnley, whose daughter Harley, 11, was refused a place at Ivy Bank, Gawthorpe and Habergham, are now planning to teach their children in the Enterprise Centre, Valley Street.

They are looking for a teacher and arranging insurance for the children so the "independent" school will be legally covered.

Mrs Fallows said: "We have had meetings but nobody has come up with a solution that's acceptable to us. We've been offered schools in Accrington and Nelson but that isn't good enough.

"We are determined to carry on with our children out of school for as long as it takes. We will not back down."

Lancashire County Council does allow parents to arrange teaching for their children outside mainstream education.

It maintains regular contact with parents and teachers are be sent to make the sure the parent and the place of study are suitable.

It readily prosecutes parents who are preventing their children from undertaking a meaningful education, with fines of up to £1,000 imposed by courts.

But, once the parent is in charge, it isn't necessary for them to follow the National Curriculum.

GCSEs can be taken at home, via a correspondence course, while children with special needs can also be taught from home.