A DARWEN special school facing closure in August will be transformed into a service for young people with educational and behavioural difficulties.

Tullyallen Secondary School on Salisbury Street will be transformed into a Turnaround centre, a new council service for primary school pupils with educational or behavioural difficulties.

Last year, Blackburn with Darwen Ccouncil decided to close the special school and merge its services with the Bank Hey site in Heys Lane, Blackburn.

Bank Hey and Tullyallen served the whole of East Lancashire but pupil numbers declined when the unitary authority was created in 1998.

Coun Mahfooz Hussain, executive member for education and lifelong learning, said: "We are doing this with the aim to integrate pupils into the mainstream schools.

"By targeting children at a young age we are hoping that we can get to the root of their problems sooner and give them effective help."

Councillors and Darwen MP Janet Anderson have been campaigning for the buildings to continue to be used for educational purposes.

Coun Dave Hollings, Sunnyhurst ward, said: "I think it's fantastic that we are now giving younger children this service because early intervention pays high dividends and if it helps them overcome their problems at a young age this can only be a good thing.

"People at that age have no control over their problems and now we can help them come out the other end."

Darwen MP Janet Anderson said: "I think it's fantastic news that the school will still be used educational purposes. I am really pleased that a service like this will stay in Darwen."

The role of the centre is being developed by officers, headteachers and representatives from other partner agencies and is seeking to provide multi-agency approach for children and their families.