ALL parents know that children grow rapidly and clothes quickly become too small, usually long before the end of their wearable life.

And some of the most expensive items like parts of school uniforms cannot be easily recycled.

Or at least they couldn’t until two Blackburn mums had a brainwave.

They set up a charitable organisation called Mum’s The Word to sell on pre-worn uniforms for minimal prices.

Pop-up shops are held in primary schools and the service which began in Blackburn and Darwen is now to be rolled out across East Lancashire.

The pair are even hoping to get a van to reach out to families in rural areas who are just as hard hit financially in these troubled economic times.

Many schools these days have logos on far more pieces of clothing than just the traditional blazer, and that can mean forking out up to £200 for things that may last no time at all.

The idea is a simple one, but then simple ideas like this are so often the best and most effective.