A CHORLEY youngster has been banned from lessons for up to three months after having her hair braided.

Jonquil Berry,12, had her hair plaited on holiday in Turkey and believed it would be alright to return to school after having it done in the same style last year.

But to her shock, bosses at Albany Science College said Jonquil was not allowed to return to lessons as her hairstyle was deemed unacceptable.

Now Jonquil's mum, Simone Coulton, of Lawrence Road, Chorley, said she will not remove the braids as there are no school rules governing the style.

Miss Coulton said: "Jonquil had the same style last year and nothing was said at all.

"I paid £40 and Jonquil had to sit in a hairdresser's in Turkey for five hours, so I'm not forcing her to take them out.

"If there was anything in the school rules about braids I would hold my hands up, but there's not.

"It's three months before they're due to come out, so it looks like I'll have to teach Jonquil at home for now."

Jonquil, a year eight pupil, is desperate to return with her pals to Albany, but says she doesn't see why she should have to remove her plaits.

"They say they could be dangerous when I'm doing PE, but I tie my hair back anyway.

"I've been doing well at school recently, I've been moved up a set in maths, and I get really bored at home.

"It seems silly that I can't be in school when I had the same hairstyle last year and no one said anything."

Mum-of-three Miss Coulton added: "I have had a meeting with the head and have written to the governors about the situation.

"I feel she is being bullied into removing the plaits despite the fact she has seen other children in different school uniforms with exactly the same hairstyle."

Don Higgs, headteacher at Albany Science College, said: "As a school we always aim to maintain very high standards of dress, appearance and behaviour, and we regularly review and update our rules.

"Parents and pupils were reminded in June by letter and through school assemblies about our expectations regarding these for September. On the rare occasions when we have had an issue with a pupil's appearance, including what we regard as an extreme hairstyle, we have been able to come to an amicable solution with the pupil and the parents.

"I feel very sorry that this time this has not happened and the family has chosen, instead, to withhold the girl from school."