School has not run out of food says council

Parents of children at Rose Bridge Academy have contacted the Wigan Post in their droves, claiming that their children have come home from school without eating a school dinner because “Metrofresh”, the council-run service, has had supply shortages.

The accusations began in the midst of uproar about new policies being brought in, which have included stricter uniform requirements and “locks” being put on the toilet doors during lesson time.

Linzi Hardman, whose son attends the school, said: “I can’t stress how annoyed I am over the state that Rose Bridge Academy is now in.

“My son for the last four days has gone to the dining hall for lunch only to be turned away as they have no food left.

“What kind of school does not cater for the right amount of pupils? This is getting ridiculous.

“There are many other parents with the same issues. For a school I find this ludicrous.”

However, the catering company which provides food for the majority of the borough’s schools, has defended its services, saying that there are always options available for pupils.

When reports emerged following the first day back from term, a spokesperson denied the claims saying that there was a “range of options” leftover at the end of lunch including steak dinner, soup, rolls and sandwiches.

Following the latest accusations, an official statement has been released by the town hall. A spokesperson said: “We are aware of complaints regarding the lunch available at the academy however, we are committed to ensuring there is a variety of choice available to pupils.

“Although the full range may no longer be available at the end of service, there is often a wide choice of food still on offer at this time.

“If we know the name of the child, the time they came into the lunch hall and on what days, we could investigate this further.”