STUDENTS will stage a mass walk-out tomorrow in a protest over proposed staff cuts at Bolton Institute.

The angry students are outraged by plans they say would slash staffing levels by 40 per cent.

They claim they were purposely kept in the dark about the plans to prevent any demonstrations being taken.

And now their concerns surround the quality of courses which would be left if the jobs are cut.

Students believe while there have already been numerous voluntary redundancies, compulsory ones will be enforced if more are not found. Tomorrow, shortly before 10.30am they intend to put their pens down and walk out in protest at what is happening.

A spokesman for the Students Union said: "Many modules have already been cut and further cuts will seriously jeopardise our degree pathway.

"First year law students do not have any option modules as they have been cut and further cuts to second and third year options mean that we will not be able to follow our chosen career paths.

"This is happening right across the Institute. It has been advised by management in the business school that this will not affect students, yet the business school itself is to lose another 10 staff members, so it begs the question, how can it not affect the students? Are the staff to run two classes at once? "How will losing 40 per cent of staff not affect us? These are questions we want answers to.

"A lot of students pay for their courses and feel that they have not received what they have paid for.

"Consequently, we feel we have no option but to protest by walking out on lectures in response to the way we are being treated."

The students are appealing to the public to support them.

The spokesman added: "Please come and support us. Your child could be studying here in the future. Is this what you want for them?" Principal, Mollie Temple, has confirmed staff at the Institute have been offered a "voluntary severance" package, to cut down on expenditure on employees.

This money will be invested in other areas, such as improving accommodation, social facilities and learning resources.

She would not reveal how many people would be leaving after Christmas. But she said students had nothing to worry about.