A FORMER public schoolboy's alma mater has set up a new scholarship in his name after receiving what the headmaster described as a substantial legacy via his family.

Eric MacDonald, who died some time ago, was a pupil at Barnard Castle School in the Thirties.

A native of Marwood, he studied at the school after being awarded the St John's Scholarship, offered to boys in the parishes of Barnard Castle and Startforth who would otherwise have been unable to enter the school.

Headmaster Michael Featherstone said the new scholarship would be called the MacDonald Scholarship, and would be open to anyone at sixth form level, depending on circumstances, irrespective of whether they lived in the above parishes.

"Mr MacDonald passed away some time ago, but he had expressed a wish to his widow and daughter that he wanted to enable others to have the same chance he was given," he added. "That wish will now be carried out with the bequest made in his memory."

Mr Featherstone said the interest on the legacy would pay for scholarship fees for a year, depending on circumstances. He described the bequest as a very substantial amount, believed to be a six-figure sum. "We are obviously grateful to Mr MacDonald and his family for the bequest," he added.

The scholarship will sit alongside the original St John's, still offered to pupils who reside in Barnard Castle and Startforth.