A HEADTEACHER has been suspended and is under investigation by the education authority.

Peter Cunningham, head-teacher of Sacred Heart Roman Catholic Primary School, Red Lane, Colne, is believed to have been suspended earlier this week after a probe was launched into alleged financial irregularities.

Letters have been sent home to parents explaining that Mr Cunningham, who has been head of the school for 13 years, would not be at the school until the investigation had been carried out.

Police said they were not involved in the probe, which will be carried out by education authority Lancashire County Council and the school's governors.

The county council confirmed that Mr Cunningham had been suspended on full pay.

A spokesperson said that they would be working with the governors to investigate the matter.

Joe Sweeney, chair of governors at Sacred Heart RC Primary, said: "Mr Cunningham is currently absent from school to allow an investigation to take place into matters which have been brought to the governors' attention."

The voluntary-aided school receives cash from both the Roman Catholic Church and the county council.

Its last Ofsted report the school was called satisfactory' following an inspection in May last year.

Inspectors said: "Leadership and management are satisfactory. Governors and staff are keen to improve facilities for the pupils and have worked hard to keep the disturbance caused by the building work to a minimum."

In recent years, Mr Cunningham has vastly expanded lifestyle and extra-curricular activities, including opening a large allotment and polytunnel, where children grow and sell fruit and vegetables.

No-one from the Catholic Diocese of Salford was available for comment.

Coun Howard Phillip, of Vivary Bridge, where the school is located, said: "I don't know that much about this apart from the fact that on Thursday parents were given letters about the suspension."