THOUSANDS of school pupils spent the day at home today as teachers across Bolton walked out on strike.

A day of industrial action forced the closure of 43 schools across the borough, with a further 23 partially affected.

The teachers, all members of the National Union of Teachers (NUT) walked out in a row over pay.

They claim a series of below-inflation wage rises over the last few years have led to a real-terms pay cut.

Pickets were staged at Haywood School in Lever Edge Lane, Great Lever, and outside Bolton Community College, where staff were staging a separate strike over pay.

Andi Peters, a history teacher at Haywood School, said: "It's a shame it had to come to this. The pay offer is ridiculous and we were left with no choice but to take strike action. We've had a lot of support from parents and pupils."

A rally, attended by almost 200 teachers, was held in the lecture theatre at Bolton Library.

Ian Parkinson, president of the NUT in Bolton, said: "We are here because we care about society, about our children and about our future society as well as ourselves. It makes me so sad when I think about the Labour mantra education, education, education'."

NUT leaders say the three-year deal of 2.45 per cent from September and rises of 2.3 per cent in subsequent years, which has been offered to teachers, is a pay cut.