A MUM has hit out at news her child's school is closing on General Election day.

Alexandra Saffer, a parent at Greenhill Primary School on Bury, is one of a group of parents who feel their children missing classes when the site is used as a polling station on June 8 is 'ridiculous'.

The school also closed to act as a polling station for the recent Greater Manchester Mayor election.

Miss Saffer said: "It’s got to the point where there’s two school closures. Sometimes people are getting a shock, finding out about the closure the day before. It just seems ridiculous I work part time so I can have my own kids but I’m losing my own income and revenue."

Miss Saffer, aged 41, pointed out parents who take the children out of school for holidays are fined, yet pupils are being given two more mandatory days off.

She said: "The main thing is if I decide to take my kids out of school there’s a fine but now they are missing days for the election. It’s twice in five weeks. There’s nothing offered in return."

Additionally, she says parents struggle to find short-notice one-day, child cover.

Headteacher Martyn Pilling was approached for a comment but has yet to respond.

Miss Saffer of Holcombe Avenue, Bury has complained to the council. She was told in an email from Bury Council's elections and land charges manager that schools cannot refuse requests to use their premises.

Miss Saffer was also told 'there is a lack of other suitable alternatives in your area'.

A spokesman for Bury Council said: "At these elections, some 26 schools will be used as polling stations, and only 15 of those will be fully closed on election day.

"While this may cause inconvenience to some parents, the disruption is normally just one day a year when the regular council elections are held.

"The fact that we have a second election in a matter of weeks, following the GM Mayoral poll, is due to the Prime Minister calling a snap general election; something which the council has no control over."