TWO community centres and a park are to be created on the sites of three old schools which merged into one new building last year.

Lancashire County Council today confirmed the sale of Accrington Spring Hill School's three annexes.

Two community groups and Hyndburn Council are the organisations which are purchasing the buildings.

The old Spring Hill Junior School, Exchange Street, is in the process of being demolished and will be turned into a park for community use by the council.

The adjacent Spring Hill Infants School, will be sold to the Spring Hill Community Network, while the Hannah Street reception site will be taken on by another community group, the Hyndburn Cultural Association.

The Government has given the green light for the sites to be sold - as long as the buyers have a use in mind which would benefit the community.

Hyndburn Council's Spring Hill ward councillor Edith Dunston said: "This is a deprived ward of Accrington and something like this will be such a benefit to the community.

"It is something we have been looking forward to for a long time and we can't thank the council enough."

County Councillor Tony Martin, in charge of resources, said: "These schemes will benefit the local community in a variety of ways, including social, economic and environmental, in addition to the fact there is already a new school there."