HYNDBURN MP Greg Pope is to investigate whether teacher shortages, described by the Chief Schools Inspector as the worst for 36 years, are hitting local children.

He launched his personal probe as the House of Commons Education Committee prepared to hold its own inquiry.

Labour MP Barry Sheerman, chairman of the all party group, agreed today that it was worrying that four out of ten teachers now leave the profession before they have completed three years in the classroom. The claims are made by Mike Tomlinson, chief of the education watchdog Ofsted, who began teaching in 1965, who said that over his period of time in education this was the worst problem. Mr Pope said: "I am aware that there are teacher shortages, especially in critical subjects such as Maths and Science.

"I am very concerned and will be speaking to teachers and education officials in East Lancashire in the coming weeks. I want to find out how it is affecting the area."