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Poverty-hit parents are sending their children to school with cold McDonald’s Happy Meals for lunch , a teacher says.

Youngsters at a school in Lancashire bring in cold chips and burgers or nuggets and expect kitchen staff to warm them up later.

The teacher, who doesn't want to be named, said: "They'll sometimes just have half a sandwich.

"Parents sometimes send in cold items from a McDonald's Happy Meal for the children's lunches.

"I've also had children being sent in with chicken nuggets and an expectation that the kitchen will warm them up."

But this teacher says they refuse and send the children for school dinners instead.

(Image: Getty Images)

The Sun says the children are from some of the most deprived areas of Blackburn with Darwen , the local borough council.

It comes as families across the UK turn to food banks to help feed their children.

In Lancashire alone, a total of 23,960 emergency food parcels were issued to people in need in 2018/19, according to the Trussell Trust.

Teachers are also stocking up on old school uniforms because children don't have the right clothing with them.

(Image: Photographer's Choice)

Blackburn with Darwen said it is committed to a new food strategy to tackle food poverty in the borough.

Speaking to the publication, Jayne Ivory, director of children's services, said: "We, alongside our partners, continue to work very hard to tackle those inequalities that exist.

"Some of the many factors that can contribute to children and families living in poverty are beyond our control but we are striving to make a difference in the areas that we can effect.

"We have committed to a new food strategy and launched a BwD Food Alliance in 2018, with the primary aim of tackling food poverty in the borough, and have supported an innovative scheme called the Blackburn and Darwen Summer Lunchbox Project, which aims to help struggling families by providing free packed lunches to children."