A MASSIVE hike in fees for Bournemouth's popular Boredom Busters scheme looks set to spark a parents' protest.

The cost of sending a child to the holiday playscheme has increased from £35 per child for the whole six weeks of the summer holidays to £3.50 per child per morning.

This means that parents whose children attend Boredom Busters every day will be paying a total of £105 - an increase of 200 per cent.

Discounts of 20 per cent are available for parents booking more than 20 sessions in advance, but this still only reduces the price to £84.

Mum-of-three Mandy White, of Ensbury Park, is so incensed she is considering starting a petition.

She believes the council has increased prices to reduce interest in Boredom Busters so that it can eventually drop the scheme.

"I have talked to lots of parents about this and many people are now saying they will not be able to send their children to Boredom Busters this year because it is just too expensive," she said.

"I know prices have to go up a bit, but they should not have to be trebled."

And Cllr Anne Rey, who represents Throop and Muscliff, called the price hike "disgraceful."

"The whole purpose of Boredom Busters is that parents can continue to work through the school holidays, knowing their children are safe and being looked after," she said.

"I don't know who has done this, but it seems to completely defeat the object. I am totally opposed to it."

Di Mitchell, the council's head of inclusion and achievement, said: "The Boredom Busters outdoor summer play scheme continues to be a popular and over-subscribed service.

"Following a review of the service, we have had to look at the pricing structure in order for this service to continue and be sustainable, while trying to keep the price as reasonable as possible."