"She crumpled and fell to the floor in tears and said mummy I've no school."

The principal of a school in Bangor has taken the unusual step of publishing a letter to parents blaming the lack of an Education Minister for not being able to offer more children places at his school.

Matthew Pitts is head of Bangor Academy and his statement on the school's website says he's had to turn away up to 40 families because his request for extra places is falling on deaf ears.