The examination was held several days earlier than expected

Students at Branston Community College were told to rush to school for a leisure and tourism exam on Monday.

The Lincolnshire college had originally scheduled the examination for Friday, but had got the wrong date off the exam board's website.

The exam board says about half a dozen colleges or schools were affected.

The AQA exam board insists it followed correct procedures for giving out exam time-tables.

Lincolnshire student James Cairns had to cycle four miles to school without breakfast after getting an early-morning call.

"I felt really shocked - it was a real panic," he said.

His mother Shelley Cairns said: "A school spokesman called and said my son hadn't arrived for an exam and asked to send him to school as soon as possible."

This kind of thing seems to happen year in year in different parts of the country and no-one seems to admit they were wrong Shelley Cairns

James said: "I checked my timetable and I didn't have any exams.

"They said I had to get there in 10 minutes but I had to bike four miles - and when I got there the exam had already started."

The school said it had taken the date from the exam board website and only discovered later that the provisional date had been changed.

An exam board spokeswoman said: "We urge the candidates not to worry as we will look at the circumstances and hope to resolve the matter.

"The date was provisional and the confirmed timetable (with the new date) followed later.

"Any schools or colleges involved should contact AQA. We will look at the circumstances on a case by case basis and deal with the issues in the most appropriate manner."

Mrs Cairns said the school seemed to be blaming the examination board and the board was blaming the school.