A SCHOOL is embarking on a mammoth fundraising bid to create new premises.

St Cuthbert's RC Aided Primary School in Chester-le-Street, currently consists of a building dating back to 1926 when the school opened, and several temporary classrooms, one of which has been in use for 60 years.

Now the school hopes to start again from scratch, creating one all-purpose site on what is currently the school playing field.

The present buildings will be bulldozed and a new sports pitch created in its place.

Because St Cuthbert's is a voluntary aided school - receiving funding from its local diocese as well as the local education authority - it must raise ten per cent of the overall costs, which will amount to £250,000.

Headteacher Sean Brown said: "We have an architect on board and we're in the process of submitting our bid this month to the Department for Education and Skills.

"If we're not successful this time, we'll try again next year. But there's a big need for our school. We have over 300 children here and something like 160 to 170 children are educated in Prefabs. We're also quite an old school and the building has seen better days."

Mr Brown and another teacher kicked off the fundraising by running the Great North Run, helping the school raise a total of £1,300 for the project. So far, £25,000 has been raised through grants and donations.

To help with the fundraising contact the school on (0191) 3882305