A BURNLEY school has moved a step closer to its dream of becoming a specialist centre for the performing arts after the government stumped up £35,000 to help its bid.

Towneley High School applied to become a specialist college for the performing arts last year, but failed after a sponsor earmarked to provide most of the £50,000 needed backed out.

The school had raised around £15,000 towards the total cost but now the Department of Education has agreed to make up the shortfall.

If the new bid is successful the school, at Towneley Holmes, will be kitted out with state-of-the-art recording, drama and dance facilities which will be made available to the public.

New headteacher Sally Cryer, who replaces recently retired David Hinks, said that becoming a specialist school would mean an extra £500,000 for Towneley, a third of which would be spent in the community.

Mrs Cryer said: "This is excellent news which means we can now go ahead with our bid for specialist arts status. Everyone is obviously hopeful we will be successful, but even if we don't make it this time around we will be able to hold on to the government money and apply again.

"To be recognised as a specialist college in performing arts would be good for the school, obviously, because we get more facilities.

"But it would also be good for the whole of Burnley because everything we get has to be made available to the community."

Specialist colleges are hand picked by the government after schools have prepared bids for the cash the designation attracts.

They receive a lump sum of £100,000 plus £123 per pupil at the school for four years. More money can be granted after four years if targets for progress are met.

Ivy Bank in Burnley has been a specialist business and enterprise college for more than a year.