PARENTS have reacted angrily to a decision that means they will no longer have an automatic right to send their children to Turton High School.

Youngsters from the villages of Belmont and Edgworth have been guaranteed a place at the school for more than 40 years.

But preference will now be given to children who live nearest to the school after a government adjudicator backed changes to Bolton Council's admissions rules.

It means that instead of going to Turton, some children could face travelling to Sharples Secondary School in Astley Bridge, Canon Slade School in Bradshaw or Smithills School.

Adjudicator David Taylor predicted only two or three pupils a year would be affected - because children with brothers and sisters at Turton would still be allowed a place.

But parents have pointed out that other children from Edgworth would end up travelling past Turton High to get to other schools.

Andy Paton, of Birches Farm, Turton Bottoms, near Edgworth, who is one of the parents affected, said: "It's a ludicrous decision. I'm flabbergasted."

He hopes his daughter, Kaity, aged four, and son, Sam, aged three, will be able to attend the school.

"The children here could all end up in different schools," he said.

"How can the Government and our councils claim to be green when they are asking people to drive miles further to take their children to school?

"The school was built for the people of this community and my address says Turton, but now we are not guaranteed a place at the school bearing that name.

"To get to Smithills or Sharples would take two or three buses."

Parents point out that children in rural areas would never be the ones living nearest to a school.

Bolton Council had argued that continuing to use the historic catchment area would unfairly disadvantage children from more deprived areas like Hall i' th' Wood and Tonge Moor.

Belmont and Edgworth fall within the Blackburn with Darwen Council area.

North Turton with Tockholes rerpresentative Cllr Colin Rigby said: "It is social engineering. The Government has put a set of criteria in place which satisfies socialist principles rather than educational needs. The legislation has gone through and there's nothing we can do but live with it.

"We now have to make sure the right public transport links are put in place."