A MOTHER has hit out after her five-year-old son was made ill by being forced to go to a different school from his twin sister.

Nina Phoenix, 32, accepted a place for daughter Summer-Rose at Sacred Heart Catholic Primary School near their Baguley home.

But Summer-Rose's twin brother Lawrence couldn't get in because there was only ONE place available.

The twins suffer from chronic eczema and Mrs Phoenix says the trauma of the separation had caused Lawrence's illness to flare up.

She said she turned down places at alternative schools because she wanted her children to be educated in a Catholic setting. She said: "To split twins up is terrible. Lawrence won't be doing the same as his sister.

"He won't be going to mass or celebrating the feast days.

"His chronic eczema has flared up and he has started feeling resentful towards Summer-Rose.

"She has been pretending to be ill so she can come home from school to be with Lawrence."

Under current rules, siblings get priority on school waiting lists - but there is no special priority given to twins.

Mrs Phoenix's appeals to school governors and the independent schools admissions panel were both refused.

Sacred Heart head teacher Aelred Whelan said his hands were tied. He said: "We would like to take Lawrence, but I am bound to class size legislation.

"As it stands, he is at the top of the waiting list because of the sibling rule, though that may change if anybody moves into the area. It makes no difference that he is a twin."

Council education spokesman John Edwards said: "While we sympathise with this family's situation, it is important that all school admissions are dealt with in line with published admissions policies and practices.

"Sacred Heart School had only one place in reception when the family moved into the area in May. The mother chose to accept the place for one of her twins and a place on the school's waiting list for the other."

Senior dermatology nurse Julie Carr, who treats the twins at Sheffield Children's Hospital, said they should stay together for their well-being and medical treatment, which includes cream treatments six times a day and steroids twice a day.

Ms Carr said: "I feel this separation is a detrimental move and could have an impact on their health.

"Stress appears to affect Lawrence's eczema and it can deteriorate rapidly to the point of hospital treatment."

Lawrence is due to start at Baguley Hall Primary School on Monday, after staff completed training to deal with his life-threatening anaphylactic fits.

Mrs Phoenix said: "Lawrence and Summer-Rose suffer from rare allergies. They are at risk going to different schools. But we are also practising Catholics - and that's crucial for their education."