EDUCATION chiefs yesterday tried to quash rumours that one of Darlington's most successful secondary schools is to close within five years.

Hurworth Secondary School has been considered for closure, with Darlington's other secondary schools, education officials said.

They conceded that at least one of the town's secondary schools must close because of falling pupil numbers.

Officials said they held a meeting with headteachers last week at which each school in Darlington was considered in turn for possible closure, apart from Haughton Community School, which is locked into a 25-year private finance initiative (PFI) deal.

At a meeting of Darlington Borough Council's schools organisation committee yesterday, Councillor Roderick Burtt asked education officials if Hurworth School was to close.

He said: "Over the past four to five weeks I have been approached by several people saying they have heard that Hurworth School is going to close within the next five years.

"That rumour is now beginning to gain pace and there are people coming up to me asking about it when I am having my evening pint of beer in the pub. In my view it would be a disaster for the village and a disaster for education locally as well.

"Please tell us if it isn't true, and scotch the rumours, and if it is, then tell us because the worst thing of all is uncertainty."

Assistant director of education Gail Bowen said: "At the education conference we held we did an action planning piece of work and every school in Darlington was discussed around whether we would keep it open or close it. There may have been discussions about Hurworth, but also about every other school."

Kevin Duffy, education capital projects officer, said: "The falling rolls is a primary school issue and we are looking at it at a primary level, but within a few years that will become a secondary issue and we need to address it now.

"At the moment it is under review. The only school we have almost ringfenced is Haughton School as it is part of a PFI deal. Apart from that school, we need to consider all the other schools in the town."