PRIME Minister Tony Blair visited Blackburn today and praised schools which he said had "led the way for the whole country".

And the Premier saluted the town's own premier achievers when he said: "I hope education action zones will do for schools in Blackburn what Brian Kidd has done for Rovers."

Mr Blair was in the district to see for himself one school at the centre of an education revolution and added: "I want many other areas to learn from your success, to follow your example."

The Prime Minister, along with Education Secretary David Blunkett and Home Secretary and Blackburn MP Jack Straw, saw youngsters help in the design of an ultra modern aircraft in a futuristic classroom via a video link up to British Aerospace.

Mr Blair, the first Prime Minister to visit the town since Harold Wilson, told pupils: "The simple truth is that to a huge degree what you will be doing in later life depends on how much education you have and the quality of it."

The school, Our Lady and St John RC High School, is in one of several zones in the country aiming to raise standards in schools by linking up with business to bring the most up to date technology into education.

The Prime Minister announced the second round of action zones and, speaking exclusively to the Lancashire Evening Telegraph, he said: "Blackburn is the right town for the launch because you have shown how well EAZs can work." Mr Blair made the announcement as part of the government's initiative to take the media focus away from personality and onto policy, in the wake of the resignation of Peter Mandelson and problems in the personal life of Foreign Secretary Robin Cook.

After his speech he toured the school's technology rooms with David Blunkett and Jack Straw, before joining up with pupils in their video link up with British Aerospace.

Our Lady and St John is one of several education action zone schools involved in the project with British Aerospace to create the wing struts of a civilian aeroplane.

Instructions were sent on line to Samlesbury to activate machinery and begin the construction of wingstruts which the children have been involved helping to design.

Pupils in every classroom watched via a video link to the technology room in the school, using equipment which British Aerospace has allowed the school to keep.

The Prime Minister also toured the school library to meet business and community representatives involved in the Blackburn with Darwen EAZ before being presented with a memento of his visit, a brass cannon made by a pupil.

Mr Blair also presented EAZ organisers with a silver platter which was donated by British Aerospace and will be used as the trophy for the most innovative project in the zone in the future. Mr Straw said: "I am delighted that the Prime Minister has chosen Blackburn for today's announcement.

"It is a very great credit to the town. The action zones are a success and this visit is also a tribute to the work done at Our Lady and St John and to the way Blackburn with Darwen has successfully taken responsibility for education."

Head teacher Mike Humphreys, whose wife Anne went to the same school as Cherie Blair in Crosby, said: "It is remarkable how quickly things have moved since the zone was set up."

Education Action Zones are set up by business and councils in partnership to raise standards in schools which are falling below national standards.

Our Lady and St John is one of 22 schools in the programme in Blackburn and Darwen, although it is a high achieving school which has been included in the project so that good practice can be shared.

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