DELIGHTED headteachers have welcomed news that they will be able to build new classrooms thanks to a massive cash injection.

As revealed in the Lancashire Evening Telegraph yesterday, Blackburn with Darwen Council is to receive almost £1 million from the government for 11 new classes. It was proportionately the largest allocation in the country.

The local education authority will receive the extra £980,743 to create new accommodation by September next year.

Mary Lewis, headteacher of Lammack County Primary School, Lammack Road, Blackburn, said: "We have to have a reserve list and have to turn children away.

"This extra class space will mean we will be able to take some children from the reserve list.

"We have lovely, small infant classes, but when they get to the juniors the classes get bigger.

"This will mean we can make a start towards reducing these."

David Whalley, headteacher at Audley Junior School in Queens Park Road, said: "We are very excited. We are in desperate need."

The junior school has 390 pupils and two new classrooms would make a tremendous difference, he added. "It's great news for the pupils and for the teachers. We are delighted."

At St Matthew's CE Primary in Withers Street, Blackburn, headteacher Jenny Cree said: "It will be a tremendous improvement."

Under the scheme there will be two new classrooms at Audley Junior School, St

Michael with St John's Primary and St Peter's CE Primary. A single extra classroom will be built at Lammack Junior, Lower Darwen Primary, St Matthew's CE Primary, St Stephen's CE Junior and Turton and Edgeworth CE/Methodist Primary.

Welcoming the announcement, Mahfooz Hussain, the council's executive member for education and lifelong learning said: "This funding supports the LEA's commitment to secure smaller class sizes."

"The LEA has already provided 18 new classrooms in the past two years for the purpose of reducing infant class sizes and has been able to implement the Government's pledge a year ahead of schedule.

"This news of additional funding is very exciting for the LEA, especially when proportionately we have received the largest allocation in the country."