LEIGH MP Andy Burnham has applauded schools, teachers and pupils on their record results in the latest school league tables.

All the schools in the constituency performed well with St Mary's, Lowton and Golborne High achieving above the national average of 53pc gaining five GCSE grades A to C.

Other schools also made spectacular progress and Mr Burnham said: "These are a great set of results and show that secondary schools in the Leigh area are on the up and up.

"This is a real tribute to the efforts of the pupils, teachers and support staff and it does the heart good to see our pupils achieving so much."

Mr Burnham pointed out that Westleigh High is the 33rd most improved school in the country with 44pc of pupils achieving 5 A-C grades -- a massive improvement on the 18pc of 2000.

Golborne High achieved 54pc up from 36pc last year, Hindley Community High achieved record results of 37pc, Bedford High 45pc, a big improvement on 32pc in 2001 and 42pc last year and Hesketh Fletcher achieved 39pc up from 34pc last year.

Rated highest in the value added table was Golborne High in second place in the borough and Tyldesley Fred Longworth who sit fifth.