Rex
An infant school has banned two warring mums from its playground because of the effect their on-going feud was having on pupils.
The school claims the mothers' foul-mouthed ranting in front of the children was becoming too much and took action to protect the students amid fears the squabbling could become violent.
One of the two women concerned has a child at the school, Weston Park Infant School in Southampton, whilst the other woman's daughter attends the neighbouring junior school.
The women have now been told they must not come onto the grounds of the school their child does not attend.
The co-head of the junior school Emma Kerrigan-Draper explained to reporters why they decided to take action against the women:
"We've taken action to stop there being the potential for any further aggression or violence on the school playground.
"We've done that because we will do whatever we need to do to ensure the pupils' safety and well-being is safeguarded, because that's at the top of our priorities.
"We want parents' behaviour to be an appropriate role model for pupils at all times.
"The issue is now being dealt with by police and we are also working with the legal team at the council."
The reasons behind the mums' feud is unclear, but is believed to have stemmed from another dispute involving a third parent. One of the women involved, mum-of-three Michelle Kreft, 32, says she has been treated unfairly, and the school ground ban means her daughter can no longer take a short cut to her own school and has to walk along a busy road.
She said: "My child can't even attend an after-school karate class because it's held at the junior school and I'm banned, it's ridiculous.
"I've also got a two and four-year-old who I do the school run with, and although I've done nothing wrong I've got to walk two busy roads with no lollipop lady or crossing, and the police have told me it's dangerous."
The other mum, Donna Woodnut, 39, a married mother of three, says she just wants the row to be over, saying she feels 'sorry' for the school. Her eight-year-old daughter Abbey attends the junior school next to the infant school. Donna, a nursery worker, told her local newspaper, the Daily Echo:
"I'm sick and tired of it – we're adults, we should be carrying on like adults, not children."
A spokesperson from Hampshire police said officers had spoken to both women about their behaviour.