PLANS for a community school in a former east Durham mining village were yesterday given the go-ahead by Durham County Council.

The council's cabinet agreed to discontinue the use of Murton Primary, Murton Jubilee Primary and Murton Nursery School, which will all form one school in a new building from September 2006.

The school, to be located in Barnes Road, will take 420 primary pupils with a nursery catering for 78 pupils on a part-time basis.

It is also hoped to incorporate other community services such as family learning and health.

Local county councillor John Maddison said the school would provide modern teaching facilities in which the young people of the village could learn and grow.

He said: "I am really excited about this. It is fantastic news. It will be especially good for parents of pre-school and primary age children.

"At the moment they have to juggle trying to get older children to the primary schools and youngsters to the nursery, which is some distance away.

"The new school will bring them all together, making life much easier.''

The cabinet also agreed to reorganise Eldon Lane and Dene Valley schools, in Bishop Auckland, into one unit from September 2006.