MY daughter has been one of the lucky ones who got a place in Harper Green for September.

While awaiting the outcome of the review period, I did phone both George Thomlinson and St James's, purely out of interest, to see whether they had any places available. They didn't.

So you can imagine my surprise at what I saw early on last Tuesday morning while travelling from Pendlebury to Farnworth via Clifton and Kearsley. At every bus stop, from as far back as Pendlebury's Golden Lion, there were several children at each of them and I was horrified to see that they were on their way to George Thomlinson and St James School. Now I am just a concerned parent and am not aware of the inner workings of local politics and laws, but I would like to know why these two schools, resident in the Bolton MB area, which report to us that they are "full" are taking in children that are essentially the City of Salford's responsibility.

The City of Salford is merging high schools in its area because they can't fill them (eg Hulton High with Joseph Eastham), and our Farnworth children are crammed into Harper Green, because of the actions of GT and St James!

I might also point out the apparently short memory of St James' governors, since it was the local people of Farnworth who protested on its behalf against closure not too many years ago. So I ask, has GT or St James got any plans to up its intake of children for this September -- this peak year -- and thereby to ease the pressure on Harper Green? Concerned parents of Farnworth are demanding the answers to these questions.

Curious Mother

Carnation Road

Farnworth, Bolton