EDUCATION campaigners have taken their grievances with a North-East council to the Local Government Ombudsman.

Darlington Borough Council has come under fire over its controversial plans to create a £25m privately-sponsored city academy.

The authority wants to merge Hurworth School and Eastbourne Comprehensive on a site in Yarm Road, Darlington, near the Cummins Engines factory.

But the proposals have sparked an outcry in Hurworth, where parents have formed an action group.

Yesterday, Ian Holme, spokesman for the Save Hurworth and Rural Education group confirmed that complaints about the council's handling of the matter had been referred to the Ombudsman.

He made the announcement in a letter to council chief executive Ada Burns.

Mr Holme also called on council representatives to go to Hurworth to talk openly with parents.

The academy plans are to be debated by a meeting of the authority's lifelong learning scrutiny committee today.

They suffered a setback last week as Hurworth governors rejected the idea, choosing instead to pursue foundation status, which would give the school more freedom from the local authority.

The council has stressed that formal consultation on the scheme will begin shortly, with information sessions being arranged to give parents the full picture about academies.

Despite the governors' rejection of the scheme, town hall chiefs have indicated they will press ahead with the academy plan.