THE Youth Member of Parliament for Darlington has come out in support for the council's plans to merge two schools into a £25m academy.

Kevin Nicholson said: "As a former pupil at Eastbourne, I think it is great that the school is involved in an exciting academy proposal which will benefit all the young people in that part of town, and the borough as a whole."

Darlington Borough Council plans to merge successful Hurworth School with Eastbourne Comprehensive in a new Church of England-sponsored academy on the outskirts of Darlington.

The proposal has been very controversial, with parents and governors in Hurworth opposing the plans.

Headteachers of six of the seven secondary schools in Darlington - excluding Hurworth - have also backed the proposal.

A statement from them read: "Darlington council's plan to transform secondary education in all schools will benefit all children in the borough and help to give them the best possible education.

"The best proposal to improve education in Darlington is the academy proposal."

Hurworth governors have come up with an alternative plan to save the school. They will be applying for the Government to expand by a third to become a 900-pupil school with foundation status, which would given them freedom from the local authority.

The council's proposal will undergo a public consultation before a formal bid is submitted to the Government.

* Darlington Partnership, which represents the public, private and voluntary sectors in the town, yesterday reaffirmed its support for the academy. Chairman Alasdair MacConachie said he welcomed the "positive" news that the Church of England had agreed to be the sponsor of the academy.