Children have missed more than 4,000 days of school for holidays, according to new figures.
Pupils in Hyndburn took 4,026 unauthorised days off in the 2012/13 school year.
That’s the equivalent of more than a third of a day off for every pupil in the borough.
Across Lancashire there have been more than 30,000 days lost.
Council bosses have said that ‘attainment is linked to attendance’ and have encouraged parents not to take their kids out of school for holidays.
County Councillor Matthew Tomlinson, cabinet member for children, young people and schools, said: “I’d ask parents to support their school staff and governors by making good attendance their first priority.
“Studies have shown that attainment is linked to attendance – if children miss out on school, they miss out on learning.”
The issue has caused anger among many parents who say they are being hit with higher holiday prices outside of term time.
Kara Johns took to the Observer Facebook page to say: “I’ve not taken my kids out of school for holidays.
“But I have also never taken them abroad due to the expense!
“Lancashire County Council could vary the school holiday and term dates so we weren’t always the same - this would make holidays cheaper.”
Anne Haworth added: “Holidays have to fit in around the rest of the workforce because shops and factories just don’t close.
“If you have 20 people working together it’s obvious everyone isn’t going to get a holiday during the six-week period.”
In September last year the Department for Education introduced fines to combat this issue, meaning that if a child misses five school days in one term a parent can be fined £60, increasing to £120 if it is not paid within 21 days.
A Department of Education spokesman said: “The motivation behind sanctions is to support a child in getting their education. Penalty notices protect a child’s rights to an education.”
