A £7 million scheme designed to help create an education authority's superbrains of the future has run into trouble amid a battle over workers' contracts.

Some of Blackburn with Darwen Council's 26 Learning Mentors are upset and at least one is threatening to quit after they claimed the council changed the terms of their contracts -- making the job much less attractive.

The learning mentors were recruited last year following the announcement that the borough had been awarded £7million of Government cash to fund an scheme called Excellence in Cities.

The aim of the scheme is to make sure all pupils work to their full potential and to make sure they have the chance to succeed.

Steps will also be taken to make sure social barriers are removed which may impede people's learning potential.

A key part of the project was the appointment of the learning mentors, who will work with exceptionally bright children individually.

It is believed many bright pupils do not realise their full potential because regular classes do not stretch them enough.

But now union bosses and education chiefs are in talks over terms and conditions for the mentors.

They were originally appointed on the understanding they would have all school holidays off work, except for three weeks of the annual summer break.

But last month education chiefs said new contacts would be issued, giving the mentors just 25 days off a year.

One mentor, who did not want to be named, said: "Many of us have given up good jobs elsewhere, which pay better, to get the holidays.

"That is because it fits in with our family arrangements more.

"We have given up our other jobs, taken the training and then they change the rules. Many of us want to leave now because of this.

"It will make our jobs so much harder because we will have to find the pupils through all the holidays and work with them at their homes.

"This isn't what we signed up to and we don't want to do it any more.

"If we had known we were only going to get 25 days off a year, we would have stayed at our existing jobs."

The basic pay for mentors is £14,000, with staff from legal, medical and management backgrounds taking on the jobs.

Their role is to support the children and provide pastoral care, rather than to teach them.

All the borough's high schools except St Bede's High School are involved in the scheme.

The mentor added: "We have been sent new contracts and have been told we have to be flexible.

"But that isn't why we did it. Without us, the scheme can't take place."

UNISON has confirmed it is working with the council over the problems thrown up by the new contracts. A spokesman said: "Members have approached us with concerns and we are working with the council to resolve them."

Blackburn with Darwen Council confirmed the situation but declined to say why contracts had been changed.

Harry Devonport, director of the council's education action zone, said: "The issue has been raised with us and we are in discussion with the unions on the matter."