A NEW college building has been officially blessed as the community remembered two senior staff members and a student who all died of cancer.

The Bishop of Hexham and Newcastle Rt Rev Seamus Cunningham opened and blessed the buildings in the £1m science, maths and music block at a special ceremony at Carmel College, Darlington.

Rooms were dedicated to biology teacher, pastoral leader and head of Years 10 and 11 Brian Hunter and student Joseph Mercer, 15.

A plaque was also blessed in memory of former head of sixth form Colm Doyle.

The Bishop said: “We give thanks for these new buildings and honour Colm, Brian and Joseph, who were much loved members of this community.”

Chief executive of the Carmel Education Trust Maura Regan added: “Colm Doyle, too young, Brian Hunter, too young and Joseph Mercer, too young.

“But we must also celebrate that there is something beyond the cycle of life and death.”

Chair of the board Cyndi Hughes said the new facility would be a lasting memory to much cherished members of the community, while head of school Mike Shorten added: “This will make a huge difference to learning, particularly maths, science and music.

“I think students will love it.”

The two-storey block features science labs, common room and music technology suites for visual and audio mixing and editing.