A Redcar deputy headteacher is lending a hand in the latest stage of the construction of a new school.

Mike Erskine, deputy head at Rye Hills School in Redcar, has an office on the site of the new development - being built on land adjacent to the existing school - and will be monitoring developments throughout the school holidays.

He has tightened up the first steelwork which will form part of the framework for the new sports hall.

The school is being built by Shepherd Construction and is on course for completion in September 2001.

Pupils have remained in the original school building while work progresses on the site next door. Thousands of tons of soil has been removed from the site and will be used to landscape the existing school site when the buildings are demolished.

Mr Erskine said: "The site is changing all the time and this latest stage is a real step forward.

"People will be able to see it taking shape throughout the school holidays.