TALENTED pupils from across Blackburn with Darwen enjoyed the chance to quiz Blackburn MP and Foreign Secretary over Iraq.

Nineteen students, chosen for their ability and described as "gifted and talented", grilled Jack Straw at Darwen's Astley Bank Hotel yesterday as part of Excellence in Cities Week.

Mr Straw told them war against Iraq may be "the best of two evils" to control Saddam Hussein and described the dictator as a "terrible terrible man" who had to be stopped.

The quick-fire questions from pupils of Blackburn with Darwen's nine high schools revealed the youngsters to be genuinely concerned by the threat of war.

Mr Straw apologised to the group for being unavoidably late -- and revealed he was caught up talking to French foreign minister Dominique de Villepin as well as Colin Powell, secretary of state for the United States of America on the phone.

He said: "Of the fifteen members of the United Nations security council, we have to make sure that the five permanent members will not veto the resolution on getting weapons inspectors into Iraq.

"I was in Egypt earlier this week with the King and Arab leaders. Then I went to Kuwait, Iraq and on to Tehran."

Mr Straw said he hoped the trip would persuade Arab nations to support military action against Iraq.

Rachael Cotton, 16, of Our Lady and St John RC High School in North Road, asked why Prime Minister Tony Blair was backing President George W Bush in the threat of military action.

Mr Straw said: "Saddam Hussein was told by the security council to end all weapons of mass destruction particularly biological weapons. Weapons inspectors were there for seven years and did a great deal but in 1998 he kicked them out and since then he has been building up his capacity. He is very dangerous."

Matimba Swana, 15, of Pleckgate School, Blackburn, told Mr Straw he was concerned that the western countries could not afford to go to war.

Mr Straw also reassured the youngsters that war with Iraq would be an argument with the military forces and not with innocent people.

The pupils have been following a three-month project on justice.

Chris Davis, 15, of Witton Park High School asked if the death penalty should be re-introduced, a proposal Mr Straw "strongly opposed".

And Catherine Wright, 15, of Darwen Moorland High debated with Mr Straw over issues surrounding truancy.