AN astonishing row broke out last night after a fresh plan for the future of two North-East schools was revealed.

A headteacher in Darlington hopes to expand an acclaimed school at the heart of a merger plan, freeing it from council control. The move would see the closure of the struggling comprehensive it was to merge with.

Last night, council bosses branded the idea "educational cleansing by social class".

Darlington Borough Council suggested the motive is to select pupils for Hurworth School - one of the town's top schools. But headteachers Eamonn Farrar and Dean Judson said the claim was "offensive and abhorrent".

The dispute marks a new low in the bitter battle over the future of the two schools.

Last night, the Department for Education and Skills confirmed the school would only be allowed to select ten per cent of students.

The plan would expand Hurworth School and see it gain foundation status - taking half the pupils from troubled Eastbourne Comprehensive and bringing the Hurworth roll up to 900 pupils.

As a foundation school, it would have more freedom from the education authority.

The proposal - put to a small group of Hurworth governors on Wednesday evening by Eastbourne headteacher Mr Farrar - would ultimately lead to his school's closure.

Should it be approved by the full governing body on Monday, it could signal the end of council plans for a privately-sponsored, £25m city academy in Yarm Road.

But council leader John Williams vowed Mr Farrar's scheme would never come to fruition. He said: "Mr Farrar's plans would be disastrous for Darlington's schools.

"What would happen to the 300 displaced children should Eastbourne School close?

"This plan is nothing less than educational cleansing by social class in Darlington.

"I can assure Eastbourne School's parents - present and future - that Mr Farrar's plans will not happen."

The council fears Eastbourne's top pupils would be selected to go to Hurworth, with Longfield and Branksome schools taking the rest.

Bill Dixon, ward councillor for Eastbourne, said it was "a plan bearing all the hallmarks of something drawn up on the back of a fag packet".

He said: "Where would the other 300 pupils who aren't going to Hurworth be bussed?

"There'd be buses flying all over the town. It's just madness."

Veronica Copeland, chairwoman of governors at Eastbourne, said she learned of the plan on Thursday night.

She said: "We haven't been consulted on this. I know that Mr Farrar is torn between the two schools and at some stage he would have to make a decision, and it sounds like he has made his decision."

However, campaign group Save Hurworth and Rural Education (Share) praised the plan. Spokesman Ian Holme said: "We support everything the governors are doing to try to save Hurworth School and very much appreciate the difficult decisions they're having to make."

Hurworth headteacher Dean Judson said: "The governors are debating the options for the school, but never at any time have we considered selecting pupils.

"We find it abhorrent and offensive that anybody would suggest that we would select pupils on ability."

His words were echoed by Sam Jameson, chairwoman of Hurworth governors, and Mr Farrar.

Mr Farrar said: "My record at Eastbourne speaks for itself. We got the school out of special measures, and I have always loved working here. I am doing my best for the kids of Eastbourne."