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School 'misled' parents over rat problem - claim
Angry parents have accused education chiefs of misleading families over a rat problem at a Chorley primary school.
Parents of children at Duke Street Primary School have set up an online forum to air their fury after it emerged that a rat had been seen running around the kitchens at the school, which is currently undergoing extensive building work.
The school admit there was a problem – but said every precaution was taken to ensure pupils were not at risk.
However, angry parents claim the school knew about the problem but chose not to inform parents.
In an online blog, one furious parent, who goes by the name 'pied piper of Duke Street', said: "The school are very quick to inform us that our children have lice infestations yet they are unable to tell us about their vermin infestation – worse that they should hide the truth from parents.
"The simplest course of action would have been for the school to make us aware that there was a problem and what measures were being taken."
Headteacher Andrew Kidd admitted there was a problem but denied the school misled parents.
He said: "On Wednesday October 22 possibly due to building work close to the school kitchen, it is believed a rat was able to gain access to a wash-up area adjacent to the main kitchen.
"As soon as we were made aware of the problem, I immediately contacted the Environmental Health Office (EHO).
"The EHO attended, ensured professional remedial action was taken – including using industrial cleaners to sanitise the area – and confirmed that the kitchen was safe to use."
In the online blog, parents said they only realised something was wrong when pupils were served sandwiches instead of their usual hot dinners.
But Mr Kidd said the cold meals were served because the gas supply had to be cut during work on the new Duke Street Nursery School building.
He said: "Children were served with sandwiches for a couple of days after half-term, but this was due to the gas supply to the cookers being cut off during the completion of the building work, and was not connected to the incident in the wash-up area. The health and safety of children and staff is of paramount importance, and at no point was the health of children or staff put at risk."
Lancashire County Council said: "We have worked with the school and with Environmental Health and we are satisfied that the children's health has not been put at risk."
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Weather for Chorley
Wednesday 23 May 2012
Today
Sunny spells
Temperature: 13 C to 23 C
Wind Speed: 7 mph
Wind direction: North east
Tomorrow
Cloudy
Temperature: 11 C to 22 C
Wind Speed: 9 mph
Wind direction: North east
