MORE than 200 youngsters will ignore the final bell at the end of this term to voluntarily return to school for two weeks.

They are giving up part of their summer holidays to brush up on their reading and writing skills as Blackpool's education chiefs look to improve the town's literacy.

With a fun theme, the lessons will be held at all eight high schools immediately after breaking up and again during the first two weeks of August.

Eddie Collett, education chairman, commented: "The pupils deserve to be congratulated for voluntarily giving up some of their own free time to develop their literacy skills.

"They'll really benefit from receiving focused attention at the same time as having lots of fun.

Converted for the new archive on 14 July 2000. Some images and formatting may have been lost in the conversion.