COUNTY bosses are working to set up an anti-racism scheme at a troubled Accrington school.

Lancashire County Council is working with Moorhead High School to implement the scheme to ensure there is no repeat of last year's violence when six pupils pleaded guilty to using threatening behaviour.

The new scheme, to be up and running by September, will involve all pupils in the school and give them work looking at other people's cultures to raise awareness and tolerance.

The project accompanies a mentoring scheme, also running at Mount Carmel, in Wordsworth Road, which trains 14 and 15-year-olds to help younger pupils with this, and other problems such as bullying, exams and moving from primary to secondary school.

Spending on the scheme, which aims to improve social cohesion in the borough, has jumped from £27,500, since it started in 2001, to £33,500.

Borough councillors said they welcomed the increase, particularly with problems surrounding race at Moorhead High School, in Cromwell Avenue, but they said the borough was no different than anywhere else.

Coun David Myles, portfolio holder for leisure and culture, said: "There have been problems in schools, but I don't think we suffer more than anywhere else. We are not a special case. It would be interesting to see if they do anything for Burnley.

"But community cohesion is not just about racism, it is about a whole range of issues from health and poverty, to disability."

Coun Peter Britcliffe, leader of the Conservative group, said: "There have been problems at Moorhead and in schools and, whether you come from the indigenous population or from an ethnic minority background, you don't want your child to suffer from racism. It makes sense to promote good community relations and I welcome this money for the scheme because I think that support is needed in schools, and I think there has to be an awareness and it is no good pretending there are not any problems.

"In my experience as a primary school teacher, children do not have prejudice and children work extremely well together the more we mix."

Sgt Bob Eaton, of Accrington Police, said: "The police are pleased to support any project that would impact on Hyndburn's youth. The provision of a sum of money of this size is to be fully supported.

"The mentoring project is an excellent idea. A lot of work has taken place over the years to bring together all the communities in Hyndburn and there is already some very good cohesion between these communities and I don't think that the area suffers in the same way that others do, but we certainly can't be complacent."