PARENTS battling to retain the village location of one of the region's leading schools last night delivered an ultimatum to Tony Blair: "If you won't come to us, we'll come to you".

But, after staying out of the recent furore surrounding the fate of Hurworth School, near Darlington, for the past fortnight, the Prime Minister has now confirmed that he will hold talks with council bosses.

The school, which lies in Mr Blair's Sedgefield constituency, has been consistently hailed as a national example of excellence in education.

From record exam results to joining forces with Cambridge University on a national scheme to raise achievement among boys, the school's reputation is among the best.

But it could be set for a controversial move from its village location under proposals revealed by education chiefs at Darlington Borough Council.

The authority wants to relocate the school to the top end of Yarm Road in a multi-million pound move.

A new 1,200-pupil Hurworth School would be established, taking pupils from existing catchment areas.

The proposals have polarised opinions in the two Labour figureheads' backyards.

Mr Blair's reluctance to step into the debate so far has been seized on by protestors in Hurworth, where an action group to fight the plans was formed this week.

They have cited his "education, education, education" mantra and his more recent pledge, after seeing his Commons majority slashed at the General Election, to "listen to the people and respond wisely".

At a packed public meeting on Wednesday night, the prospect of taking the fight directly to the Prime Minister found overwhelming support.

Jill Russell, acting chair of the action group, insisted yesterday that a march on Downing Street was "a definite".

She said last night: "I have been on to people from other campaign groups up and down the country today.

"We are in Tony Blair's constituency and if he won't come to us, we'll go to him. If it means chaining ourselves to the gates, then so be it.

"There will be a lot of direct action. I'd really like us to get moving fast on this and we shouldn't let the grass grow under our feet."

The action group has set out four objectives: to ensure the school's survival in the village, to "expose the council's financial motives", protect children's education and maintain parental choice for people in Hurworth and the surrounding area. The group will meet again next week to formally elect its members.

But in Mr Milburn's Darlington constituency, the plans have generated nowhere near as much debate.

The majority of Eastbourne parents are seemingly anxious to see the move press ahead.

Eastbourne has had troubles in recent times.

It was placed in Ofsted's special measures category - which it later came out of - and was the subject of a damning audit report that led to the suspension of its headteacher.

Town hall officials have hailed the potential move as a wonderful opportunity for the children of Darlington. But uniting the views of the adjoining constituencies of two of New Labour's most high-profile figures may take some time to achieve.