A DARWEN man is calling for the nursery voucher scheme to be more clear.

Eddie Dickinson, whose daughter, Rosie, three, attends Kittens Pre-School Nursery, in Darwen, said although four-year-olds automatically got the vouchers, three-year-olds did not.

He said: "We paid for our little girl to go to nursery when she was two and we fully expect her to start school next year. It seems a little unfair the system is not geared up for the under fours."

Peter Morgan, assistant Director of Education and Lifelong Learning, said all four-year-olds were entitled to a free place at nursery or pre-school and there was also a limited number of free places for three-year-olds.

"Parents need to obtain an application form for a nursery or pre-school which is offering these additional free places."

He said Mr Dickinson had been sent a form so that he could apply for a place for his daughter, who starts school in September 2001 for the spring term 2002."