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A mum claims her disabled daughter was banned from her school prom because she missed too many days of school due to her condition.

Melissa Olver suffers with Complex Regional Pain Syndrome, which leaves her in severe pain and prone to collapsing.

The 15-year-old spent one year in a wheelchair and one using a crutch after being diagnosed with the condition in 2017 when a cyst was found on her brain, causing her body to not recognise the left side of her body.

Single mum Debra Olver, 43, claims her daughter was left devastated when an attendance officer at The Gilberd School allegedly banned her from her leaver's prom due to her attendance being 80 per cent.

The Colchester teenager has missed school more than 20 times in three years due to being hospitalised by her condition, which can make her body parts so sensitive that the slightest touch or change in temperature can cause intense pain.

(Image: Mercury Press & Media)

The teenager, who is predicted Cs and Bs in her GCSEs, spent £50 on shoes and a bag for the prom.

Her relatives had bought her a £250 dress and booked professional hair and makeup for the July event.

The school's headteacher has now claimed attendance targets are not linked to the prom and Melissa is welcome to attend.

An independent attendance body which allegedly made the decision said a meeting with her was 'misinterpreted' and Melissa was not banned from the event.

Nurse practitioner and mum-of-two Debra said: "Melissa was devastated when they said she couldn't go, she just burst into tears.

"She had everything from the dress, shoes and bag all ready and was having her final dress fitting. Even her makeup and hair had been arranged.

(Image: Mercury Press & Media)

"I'm in a professional career but every time Melissa is ill, I need to take time off.

"I want to do my job but I have to be a mum as well. Being on my own is really difficult.

"We've had to deal with this for years - we have to carry her when she falls unconscious.

"I've been on the phone to her before and she's told me she wasn't feeling well, the phone went dead and she'd passed out. It happens on a regular basis.

"But she's still doing well in her GCSEs and she always emailed her teachers asking for work to do in hospital.

"We didn't want everyone to know Melissa has a disability because we didn't want her to be labelled, but the school knew what she was going through.

"I've provided the school with all the evidence I can, she had a doctor's note every time she was off school and we gave lists of her diagnoses but I felt they saw me as no more than an overprotective mother.

(Image: Mercury Press & Media)

"They feel she's just a child who doesn't want to attend school."

After Melissa was allegedly informed of the decision to ban her from the prom during a meeting on January 14, her brother, Aaron, 19, posted about the incident with a photo of his sister in a wheelchair on Facebook .

His post went viral, racking up more than 1,200 shares and more than 800 likes.

On the same day as the social media backlash, Deborah claims the school's deputy headteacher told her the decision had been reversed and Melissa.

Debra said: "They organised a whole assembly to apologise and say she could go, but it shouldn't have taken all this.

"All we want is for people in Britain to realise is just because you can't see a disability, it doesn't mean it's not there and just because you look fine, doesn't mean you are.

(Image: Mercury Press & Media)

"We've got a 'yes to prom' which we're happy with, but schools need to understand that not every child is perfect.

"They have to adapt to children who need support and a little bit of help and assurance.

"By treating them as underdogs and not seeing their worth, it makes them feel useless."

In a statement, headteacher Linda Exley said: "The Gilberd School Year 11 Leavers' Ball is a milestone event for our students and the school is always determined that every student who wishes to attend is able to.

"It is an event that each child should be able to look forward to and as such we do not set attendance targets linked to it.

"I would like to make it clear that the only person with the jurisdiction to disbar a student from the Leavers' Ball is the headteacher.

"I have never, and would never prevent a student from attending on these grounds.

(Image: Mercury Press & Media)

"This has been made clear to both the student and her family and so we look forward to seeing her at the event with her peers in July."

A spokesman for the external attendance company said they had been employed by the school for many years to manage attandance.

The company holds meetings with parents and a member of school staff, where an action plan is agreed.

"The government sets a minimum attendance level of 90 per cent across all schools, this is explained to parents at every meeting," they said.

"To be clear, Melissa was not told she could not attend prom as only the headteacher has the authority to do this, the subject of prom was brought up by her nan in context of the dress she had bought for Melissa.

"During the meeting Melissa was asked if she needed any extra help and support at school as this is her GCSE year.

"Regarding school attendance, it was made very clear to all at the meeting that Melissa's absences would be authorised by school, when setting attendance targets it was agreed that it would be nice if attendance improved in time for her GCSEs and prom.

"The meeting was very positive and all parties shook hands at the end.

"It's unfortunate the family appear to have misinterpreted what happened at the meeting, and that Melissa's brother posted his thoughts on social media without contacting us or the school."