PARENTS and teachers today vowed to set up a campaign group to save the only Catholic sixth form in Burnley, Pendle and Rossendale from extinction.

Teachers, parents and governors have pledged to fight the plans to close St Theodore's sixth form college - revealed exclusively in the Lancashire Evening Telegraph yesterday.

A meeting has been arranged to take place next Wednesday night at the Ormerod Road site to gather parents' support.

Under the proposals, St Theodore's will share a site in the Barden area with Habergham High School's sixth form.

There will be a separate multi-faith centre for the use of students of different denominations.

But headteacher John Tat and chairman of the board of governors John Entwistle have voiced their objections to the plan.

Today Francis Swarbrick, head of sixth form, said: "We are hoping that there will be enough Catholic support for us to oppose the plans. The aim is to set up a campaign group to help save the only Catholic sixth form in the area.

Parents have only just been given the news but they are extremely unhappy with the situation and it's the parents who will have the power to stop this going ahead.

There are other options such as us joining with the new 11-16 school. We have a winning formula here and we are being asked to give that up for something which is uncertain."

He added: "We would encourage anybody who has an interest in the future of St Theodore's to attend the meeting and show their support."

Lesley Penrose, 40, of Brunshaw Road, Burnley, a parent of a former and prospective pupil, said she is outraged by the news.

Her daughter Claire, 18, recently left St Theodore's with four A-Levels and is now studying music at the University of Sheffield. Her son Daniel, 15, attends St Christopher's, Accrington, and is a prospective sixth form student at St Theodore's.

She said: "I think this is appalling. It would affect Daniel's A-Level education quite dramatically.

"He would spend one year at St Ted's and then in the middle of his A-Levels he would have to move to the new college.

"I do not think the new location would be the best for the sixth form and I don't think it will offer anything different than from Burnley College.

"The sixth form at St Theodore's offers something different from what is already on offer in the town and it's a very popular choice. We don't want to lose it."

But the headteacher of Habergham High School, Stuart Smith, said: "I don't think St Theodore's will be able to pull out of this.

The LEA, who are my employers , say this is what's happening and the Diocese of Salford have told St Theodore's that it's happening.

"There is an element of concern about some of the issues but we are trying to look at the bigger picture so that hopefully we can look back in 2015 and say it was the right decision to make.

"I can see the St Theodore's point of view as they will be going into a non-denomination facility.

"There have been successes since the education system was changed 22 years ago and Habergham has been one of them.

"We want to be able to share the benefits and the expertise we have with others.

"It's going to be sad that Habergham won't exist anymore but the fabric of Burnley's schools is not good, they are dropping to bits and the teachers are making the best of what we've got but we have to look to the future."

The meeting is being held at 7pm. Anyone with an interest in the school's future is invited to attend.