SCHOOLS across Lancashire are suffering from a shortage of teachers in key subjects, council bosses revealed today.

And at schools in Blackburn with Darwen, non-specialist staff are being drafted in to teach some subjects until the gaps are plugged.

But education chiefs have said they will not be cajoled into hiring below-par staff just because they might be short, even though one MP has said he will be probing problems in his constituency.

Both Blackburn with Darwen and Lancashire County education authorities released statements after Mike Tomlinson, the Chief Inspector of Schools, claimed teacher shortages across the country were at their worst level for 36 years.

Offical figures show the number of vacancies doubled in the last year to 4,690, around 1.4 per cent of the total number of jobs. Other surveys, disputed by government ministers, put the figure nearer 10,000.

Mr Tomlinson also claimed that four in 10 teachers now leave the profession before they have completed three years in the classroom.

He said he believed many teachers were leaving the profession in favour of better-paid jobs because school salaries did not cover the cost of living, especially in the south.

Today, a spokesman for Lancashire County Council said: "There will be no empty posts in our area when the school term starts, though we will be using supply teachers.

"It is true that we do have a shortage of teachers in areas including maths, science and modern languages. However, our advice to schools is don't panic and continue to apply the same high standards when appointing staff.

"We have put measures in place to attract more teachers and any problems we do have are not on the scale suffered in the south, partly because the cost of living and salary scales are more comparable. We pride ourselves on being an excellent education authority."

A spokesman for Blackburn with Darwen Council said: "The situation is no worse than anywhere in the country. Maths is where we are suffering. We have all lessons covered, with no mergers of classes that we are aware of.

"It may be the case that some non-specialist teachers are used but this is only where necessary."

A Department for Education spokesman said: "A £35 million recruitment retention fund has been devolved to schools in areas of greatest need to put in place local initiatives. Recruitment and retention allowances of up to £5,085 are now available to schools.

"A new scheme with the DTLR will help teachers buy their first homes and teachers in shortage subjects can have outstanding student loans written off. We want teachers to feel valued and supported."

Hyndburn MP Greg 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. I want to find out how it is affecting the area. I shall be liasing closely with fellow East Lancashire MPs on this issue.

"I think the problems are worst in London and the south east where property prices are so much higher. But teachers have told me about local difficulties and I want to find out exactly what the position is. I shall raise any concerns with ministers.''

The House of Commons Education Committee will discuss the remarks in October.

Nigel de Gruchy, general secretary of the teachers' union NASUWT, said: "The comments are very helpful and vindicate what the union has been saying for some time.

"We are especially pleased that the Government is addressing issues of recruitment and retention. It shows it is time that something was done with teachers' contracts to improve working conditions."