PRIME Minister Tony Blair came under increased pressure last night to back a school in his constituency.

At a packed information session at Hurworth School, staff and parents also vowed to maintain their campaign for Darlington Borough Council to keep it open.

The council wants to merge Hurworth and Eastbourne schools, replacing them with a £25m academy in the town.

Ian Holme, spokesman for Save Hurworth and Rural Education (Share), said Mr Blair, MP for Sedgefield, should back his own claims that successful schools should be allowed to remain free from education authority control.

Mr Holme said: "Why does he not come out now publicly in favour of a school in his own constituency?

"If he cannot make it happen in his own backyard, when will he?"

He asked the council to consign the plans to the dustbin, "where they rightly belong".

A 30-minute presentation was earlier made by Margaret Asquith, the council's head of children's services.

She said the council needed to increase the number of pupils gaining good qualifications, improve school buildings and put the right schools in the right locations, to match catchment areas.

She said: "We are aiming for six good schools, all with good results."

Mrs Asquith added the council was against Hurworth governors' plans to expand the school to 900 places and apply for foundation status.

She said it could not support them because of costs and transport problems. It would also leave more than 300 pupils without a school.

Sue Johnson, Hurworth teacher/governor representative, said: "We are unanimous in rejecting the council's academy proposal."

When parents were given the chance to air their own views, one asked why the council planned to close its best school to create six good ones.

A request was also made for governors to be allowed to address community partnerships about their own plans.

Four community partnerships have backed the academy idea.

Terry Taylor, chairman of the Bank Top partnership, said: "It is a great opportunity that should not be missed."