A college struck by coronavirus is accused of hosting Christimas parties on the same day as Downing Street - and the institution is now under investigation.
Burnley College - where one teacher died of Covid - has been investigated by the Health and Safety Executive (HSE) for nearly a year since the event on December 18, 2020.
The college is accused of hosting a number of small, faculty-based parties on the afternoon of December 18 which included an indoor karaoke session and alcohol.
A video of one of the parties which was held during strict lockdown rules and a ban on Xmas gatherings has been examined by investigators, LancsLive reports.
READ MORE: Man, 26, dies after Mercedes crashes
Stephanie Coleman, whose sister Donna, 42, worked at the college and died from Covid-19, condemned it for supposedly allowing the parties.
She is 'stunned' that the government now stands accused of doing the same thing, urging the Health and Safety Executive (HSE) to launch an investigation into the alleged Downing Street gatherings.
“If a college can face an investigation like this, then I think the government should face the same inquiry," she said.
She said she was 'horrified' over the alleged party at the college.
“I was stunned to find out that the PM and his colleagues seem to have been doing the same thing.”
A video given to the HSE allegedly shows one member of staff striding into a darkened sports hall, wearing an open chested Santa’s jacket, where he performs a song.
In front of him, a seated crowd of non-socially distanced audience members cheer while they record his rendition of “It’s Raining Men” by The Weather Girls.
At the time, Lancashire was in a “very high alert” tier, where socialising was banned within outdoor and indoor spaces and hospitality and entertainment venues were closed.
Stephanie, 39, said it was “heartbreaking” to watch the video, adding that she was angry that neither the college nor seemingly the government had decided to “lead by example”.
“Seeing people partying when we are now having to grieve on the first-anniversary of not having Donna with us, when it all could have been avoided is just heart-breaking," she said.
“People are allowed to have a good time, but they shouldn’t have been allowed to there, on those grounds.”
“You’ve got to lead by example. It’s disgraceful.”
Stephanie, from Burnley, said that programme leader Donna began to raise concerns about her safety in the lead up to students returning to the FE college in September.
She said: “[Donna] was asked to go back to do some claims, so she did, as there was only her and another person in the office.
“At that point, she said there was nothing in place, but it was kind of okay as she’d brought her own mask and taken her own hand sanitiser in.
“But in September, 100 per cent of staff and a 100 per cent of students were back.
She told me: “There’s 15 of us in our staff room, and there’s no social distancing going on.”
Stephanie claims that at the time there was a culture of denial about Covid at the college, with staff often commenting that it didn’t exist within its premises.
She said: “The line was “Well, Covid doesn’t exist at Burnley college – do you not know?”
“But Burnley had one of the highest rates in the country."
Stephanie urged her sister to complain, but she had said that she was afraid of losing her job.
She said: “We spoke daily. We were very, very close, and she said, “Steph, I’m frightened for my job, I can’t afford not to be in.”
Stephanie said her sister began to feel unwell during the second week of December, 2020, as more and more cases began to emerge at the college.
She said: “Friday, December, 11, nearly a year to today, she felt poorly.
“I was in Lanzarote at the time, and I’d not seen her for two weeks as I didn’t want any contact before going away.
“I said: “Are you alright, it’s Friday!” She said: 'I just don’t feel that great.' She said 'I think I’m just tired, it’s been a busy week.'
“Two people from her office tested positive over that weekend, so then she went for a test.
Donna tested positive for Covid-19 on December 14, during a week when at least 14 other staff members from the college tested positive for Covid 19, reports LancsLive.
But despite the outbreak in positive cases, Stephanie, who previously worked at the college, claims that bosses arranged a Christmas party for staff, flouting covid regulations.
Donna was taken into hospital suffering from Covid-19 on December 28, and she eventually passed away on January 6, 2021
Stephanie says she felt like the college failed in their duty of care towards her sister and didn’t take her health concerns seriously.
She said: “It was like ‘We’re a bubble that’s exempt from it because we’re carrying on as business as usual’, when everybody else in the country – well, most other people in the country – were following the rules.”
In a statement, the health and safety executive said they'd launched an investigation after they were contacted in early 2021 about the Covid-19 control measures at Burnley College.
A spokesperson said: “HSE was contacted early in 2021 about concerns relating to COVID and appropriate control measures at Burnley College.
“The concerns also referred to a staff member who had died following a COVID-related illness.
"We hope to conclude our investigation in January 2022."
They added: “We are aware of the video footage and that there were “Christmas events” at the College.
"As the investigation is ongoing, we do not have any further comments to make."
Burnley College has been approached by LancsLive for comment, but they are yet to respond.
