Parents upset they have not been able to get their children into a popular secondary school are threatening to take Bradford Council to court.

The group, from the Haworth area, are threatening to take action after their 11-year-olds failed to secure places from this Sept-ember at Parkside School in Cullingworth.

So far 21 out of 30 children have won places at the school on appeal. But nine were rejected on appeal, the Council's education overview and scrutiny committee heard.

In previous years the school's catchment area has taken in Haworth, but its increasing popularity means that this year the catchment area has shrunk. Instead, some Haworth parents have been offered places at Greenhead in Keighley, which is two bus rides and several miles away.

Parents could have been sure of a place at nearer Oakbank School in Keighley, which traditionally serves the Worth Valley, the meeting heard. But the foundation school operates its own admissions policy and will only consider applications from parents who have put it down as first preference.

Parents have appealed to the Ombudsman and taken legal advice.

Councillor Kris Hopkins (Con, Worth Valley) said: "I have read through the documentation that's going to the Ombudsman and I would like to save the Council some embarrassment. I would support the idea of judicial review, because this is wrong and completely illogical." He said the remaining nine children should be allowed to re-appeal.

But Phil Green, director of education, defended the Council's admissions policy. "The policy is legal and meets the criteria," he said. "It does not discriminate against any particular group of children or parents."

He said in Parkside's first year of operation as a secondary school it was under-subscribed and admitted youngsters from as far afield as Allerton.

Those families are now able to get second and third children into the school under the 'sibling rule'. This year's intake will see 78 places going to siblings. As a result, children living nearer to the school could not get in.

"That wasn't something the LEA mismanaged - we do not have the right to refuse admission where there is a place," Mr Green explained.