The parents who took their teenage son out of school to go on an educational trip to China have been fined £240.

Teacher mum, Catherine Clifford and dad John allowed Matthew,15, to take term time off from Rochester Math School to go on "the once in a lifetime" holiday.

But the couple from Cliffe have pledged the fight is not over yet.

Mrs Clifford, said: "We went to court, but were told by the prosecutor that rules are rules.But it should not be so black and white.There should be consideration taken into what's reasonable.

"And this was an exceptional case. I shall be spending my summer holidays writing letters including to the government. All it is doing is to encourage people to lie and say their child is off sick."

Mrs Clifford,46, a mum -of- two, had initially said she was willing to face a criminal record on what she maintained was a matter of principle.

The couple from Cliffe were due to appear before Medway magistrates on Monday where a case had been prepared by the council's education legal team.

But they paid the penalty and the papers were withdrawn before the bench.

The unauthorised absence from the grammar school in Maidstone Road was between February 5 and 23

A family friend was visiting Chinese relatives and the itinerary included the Great Wall of China and Chinese New Year celebrations.

Mrs Clifford, who works at a school in Medway, told the Medway Messenger: "It is not a family holiday as none of his family went. It was a chance to experience a different culture.

She is more incensed because Matthew's education was not affected by the break from the school curriculum.

She said: "Matthew is diligent. He knew what work he had to do and did it."

The school's pastoral support officer acknowledged he had caught up work he had missed, but said it had to be consistent with policies.

She added that the school's stance was contradictory as it takes pupils to China and on cricket tours to Barbados.