BOLTON'S leading Liberal Democrats have called their party's idea of sending children in care to board at top schools such as Eton and Harrow an "interesting talking point".

A new report by the Liberal Democrats claims sending children in local authority care to board at Eton and Harrow would boost their academic success and work out cheaper than keeping them in residential homes.

Bolton Liberal Democrat councillors Barbara Ronson and David Wilkinson have both called the idea an interesting concept but will not be campaigning for it to be trialled in the town.

Councillor Wilkinson said: "If it helps those young people in residential care then why not? You should never dismiss anything out of hand."

The report stated that placing children in residential homes costs £1,910 a week based on average nation wide figures, or £99,320 a year, while Eton's charges term fees of £5,496.

Bolton Council said it costs between £1,700 and £2,400 per week to keep one child in a residential children's home.

However, many children are placed with families, which can cost less than £100 a week to pay for.

Cllr Barbara Ronson said: "To be honest, with most of our children one of our priorities is to keep them in touch with their own families. Where possible children looked after by the local authority are placed in foster homes.

"A lot of these schools like Eton are down South so that would make it difficult."