Mum's row with school after they fine her £60 for her son, 14, missing class - but she says he's sick

A Tameside mum feels like she's being 'punished' for her 14-year-old son being ill after she was fined for him missing school.

Jack Hardy, who attends Audenshaw School, was first diagnosed with migraines in August last year.

The following month he started having problems with his stomach - an issue doctors are still investigating.

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But his mum, Justine Hampshire, has now been fined £60 by the council for her son missing school.

She says that she always rings in whenever Jack is unwell and that she has provided the school with medical evidence.

"It's not a just normal headache - he can't function. He has them bad and he vomits as well. He has to sleep it off," Justine said, describing her son's migraines.

"In September he started having troubles with his stomach. He was having really bad stomach pains and was being sick," she said.

"This is still ongoing now. The doctor has informed us that he's got to go for more tests because he's got something up with him," she added.

Justine said that she was fined for the times Jack was absent between September and December last year.

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She paid the £60 as she was worried about it doubling and going to court.

"I had to pay it, I can't have it doubling, I'm a single parent," she said.

She's now worried that she'll continue to be fined whenever Jack is off sick.

"I'm having to force him into school when he's not feeling well. I'm scared I'm going to get fined," she said.