A BOY who attended school just five-and-a-half days in the last academic year has turned the tables and has now not missed a day this term.

Michael Cocker risked seeing his mother sent to jail for aggravated truancy, which would have made her only the second parent ever to be put behind bars for the offence.

But the 15-year-old has settled in at Witton Park High School and is now known by his teachers as a "lovely boy" with good potential.

Mother Linda , of Brothers Street, Blackburn, was hauled before the magistrates in August after letting her son persistently play truant.

The death of Michael's father two years ago was blamed for a steady deterioration in Michael's school work.

She was told there was a "definite possibility" of a jail sentence if Michael did not attend the high school regularly until November.

But instead of sitting in front of television with his mother he has been following the National Curriculum and spending most of his time in a special centre at the school.

Linda said: "I'm really pleased. He's settling in really well. We are all very proud of him.

"He's only got three weeks before he's 16 but I'm sure he will carry on at a school."

John Gosling, headteacher at Witton Park High School, said the schoolboy had not be placed in a mainstream class because of all the work he had missed.

He said: "Obviously Michael is massively behind so it is better if he can work at his own pace.

"Now it is a very positive report as he has attended every day since the beginning of term.

"He is, however, struggling in normal lessons and the majority of time is with a small number of pupils with a high ratio between teachers and pupils.

"It is just a shame we have not had him here for the majority of the last four years when I think of what we could have done for him."

His teacher Gwen Onyon said: "We have had no problems at all and he has become involved in the Prince's Trust network. There is a lot of support now available for parents and pupils."

Following the magistrates' ruling, 49-year-old Linda admitted she let her son get into the habit of not going to school and would have to be tougher on him.

Blackburn with Darwen Council has prosecuted Mrs Cocker three times for failing to send her son to school.

Michael wants to be a joiner or an electrician.