HYNDBURN MP Greg Pope today called for a "super head" to solve the crisis at Moorhead High School after police were called in to protect staff and pupils.

Officers were today patrolling outside the school in Queens Road West, Accrington, after fighting left several youngsters injured and resulted in 16 being suspended.

Parents and eye-witnesses told how children were left terrified when a gang of 20 youths armed with chains and pieces of wood began fighting with pupils.

Riot vans and dog-handlers were called following outbreaks of trouble which escalated on Monday and were at the site again yesterday afternoon and today in a bid to prevent further trouble.

Today it was revealed that current head teacher Andrew Bateman was off sick and his predecessor Allan Grey left the school in December, 1999, following an attack by a stick-waving pupil. Mr Grey denied at the time that the two were linked.

Some parents said they were too scared to send their children into school today and feared for their safety.

Mr Pope said it needed extra money and support.

He said: "There have been problems for a long time, but obviously not as bad as this. It isn't something that has just started to happen. The school, its head, its teachers, its parents and its pupils have my support and sympathy.

"I think that the time has come for the Lancashire Education Authority to act. Maybe it's time to send in a super head with extra support and resources from the education authority to sort out the problems.

"My office has been in close contact with the police and I am deeply concerned about the latest disturbances."

A spokesman for Lancashire County Council said: "It is normal in these circumstances for an experienced deputy to be acting as headteacher and the authority has provided additional experienced staff to support the senior management.

"The school is facing challenging circumstances and the Local Education Authority is providing extensive support and has embarked on a major building programme to improve the education provision including bringing the school onto one site."

Acting headteacher Joan Hayselden insisted she would not tolerate bad behaviour at the school and appealed for the community to stay calm.

A spokesman for the Lancashire education authority said the school had taken swift action to ensure that the events would not be repeated. Police Inspector Phil Cottam said the incidents happened after a dispute between two pupils had been taken into the school and other pupils had become involved in a disturbance.

People reported seeing a group of Asians fighting with whites but said Asian youths were also fighting with other Asians and police confirmed some youngsters had suffered cuts and bruises but there were no major injuries.

Inspector Cottam added: "We cannot say yet whether this is a racist incident but if appropriate, arrests will be made.

"In order to ensure the work of the school can continue uninterrupted, there will be a highly-visible police presence outside the school, both at lunchtimes and after school, to ensure the safety of pupils, teachers and parents."

He added that the police were uncertain whether anyone from outside the school was involved.

But Mrs Hayselden said: "The problem has been brought into school by trespassers causing trouble.

"The school itself has remained very calm as everyone needs to be now, but we do reflect society.

"This was a personal dispute between two young people which was been brought into the school and which has unfortunately drawn in other young boys.

"This dispute arose during the Christmas holidays and the police have been very helpful in assisting the school in resolving the issue but I will not tolerate bad behaviour."

Mother Karen Hindle said she would be keeping her daughter Rebecca Cross, 15, away from school after she was threatened by another girl who was carrying a chain. "It's frightening. How can you send your child to school when you don't know if she is going to come home safe?"

Rebecca's grandmother Norma Hindle, who lives close to the scene of the disturbances, added: "About 20 young Asians arrived obviously looking for trouble. I phoned the police and when they turned up they were chasing them all over.

"I saw one policeman take away an iron bar from the hedge across the road. Whites were fighting Asians and Asians were fighting Asians."

Another mother, who asked not to be named, for fear of reprisals against her year eight daughter, said: "She came home and she was really upset. She said two gangs had been fighting on the path which links the two schools. It had been brewing up for a while and some of the children had bought weapons in.

"They had wooden blocks and chains with them. It isn't the first time something like this has happened but nothing seems to be done."

A pensioner living in nearby Gloucester Avenue said she was now too scared to go out of her house at lunchtimes and late afternoon and had had a video surveillance system fitted for her own safety.

Parent June Tattersall, who lives near to the school, today said many children were being kept away from Moorhead.

The mother of a year eight student said her two sisters were keeping their children off, as were many other parents in Church who had discussed the problems.

She said: "From where I live I could see gangs of youths not from Moorhead going up to fight.

"My child was scared when she came home. What sort of situation are we in when I see 16-year-old boys running to a school armed with chains?"

Milnshaw Conservative ward councillor Gordon Mills said today: "You hear about this sort of thing in schools in America rather than here.

"We need to investigate exactly what the root cause of the trouble is.

"I have spoken to the school in the past about problems and they have done everything they can, including patrolling the premises after hours."