Parents of pupils at the Nicolson Institute, in Stornoway - where the entire school board has resigned - have told their councillor there is a lack of management at the school.

Stornoway councillor Norman L Macdonald said yesterday he had received numerous telephone calls from parents.

The calls followed Thurday's announcement that the board had resigned en masse - because of accusations by senior management during discussions about a possible merger between the 1000-pupil institute and the 200-student Lews Castle College.

Mr Macdonald said: ''The school board was elected, and the parents feel appalled that they were treated in such a fashion by senior management at the school.''

The latest row began on Tuesday when the board was invited to a meeting with staff to discuss the possible merger with the Lews Castle School. Sources say matters got out of hand, with accusations being hurled at the board.

Yesterday a group of teachers at the Nicolson were preparing a petition to be sent to the education committee and the council, detailing a record of the discussion at the meeting on Tuesday night and expressing their concern.