THE multi-millionaire business leader behind plans for a new academy school in Darwen has spoken about his mission to give young people the best possible start in life.

Rod Aldridge said he had a "difficult" background as a child in Brighton before going on to found the Capita Group, the billion pound a year company that is the biggest private employer in Blackburn and Darwen with more than 1,200 staff.

Using his own money, he has set up the Rodney Aldridge Charitable Foundation which has pledged £2million towards the construction of a £20million high school in Darwen.

"A lot of what I have achieved has come from utter determination," said Mr Aldridge.

"I have always believed that if you give young people a chance they will take it.

"Opening an academy in Darwen would enable us to achieve so much with the town's young people. It would be a fresh start, with new facilities." Blackburn with Darwen Council is backing the academy plan which will now go the the Department for Education and Skills.

Work on the academy, which would be in Darwen town centre at a site yet to be identified, could start as soon as 2007 if the Government gives it the go-ahead.

The council wants to replace the two Darwen schools, both of which are facing challenging circumstances. Darwen Moorland was recently placed in special measures by OFSTED and Darwen Vale has only recently come out of the inspectors' 'serious weaknesses' category.

Mr Aldridge, who already funds a Prince's Trust programme, said: "I set up the Foundation to tackle the issues of educational under-achievement and social inclusion. I quite genuinely believe that young people deserve to be given a chance."