A COLLEGE has denied it is bribing potential students in hard-hit areas to take courses.

East Durham and Houghall Community College is planning to pay £10 a week to students from low income families, from September.

The weekly payment replaces the college's previous bursary system, which offered a one-off amount each term.

College principal Ian Prescott has received two anonymous letters which claim the payments are a "cheap trick" and "immoral".

The letters also say the money would be better spent on educational facilities at the college rather than going into students' pockets.

Mr Prescott said: "I appreciate that there are those who think we are seeking to bribe students into coming to college, but the first thing I would say is that we are now short of students anyway.

"This money recognises the fact that financial circumstances are a barrier to education.

"It is an addition to investing in facilities, not an alternative."

The decision to change the way in which the bursary is paid was made earlier this year because the college thought the new system would be more beneficial to students.

The money will be awarded to the poorest students and allocated according to parents' income.