THE head of Bishop Auckland College joined a national campaign to protect adult learning from Government funding cuts.

College principal Joanna Tait took part in a countrywide lobby and travelled to Westminster yesterday for the Association of Colleges' National Parliamentary Day.

Ms Tait said: "We feel very strongly that adult learning should be protected. It is not fair that schools and universities should get priority.

"Adult learning is often a second chance for people to return to education after missing out when younger.

"Our college is very proud of the role it plays in providing adult education to our local community and we want to ensure that we are able to maintain the same high standards in the future."

Dr John Brennan, Association of Colleges chief executive, said: "As people live longer, they will need to work longer and a society at work needs outlets to learn. This won't happen in future if adult learning goes now. If we don't protect this provision, we will pay later."

Bishop Auckland staff and students have signed a union-organised Fair Funding petition calling for an end to a funding gap, which costs colleges an average of £500,000 a year because they are paid ten per cent less than schools educating 15-19 year-olds.

Over the past decade, the college has educated and trained more than 120,000 adults from south-west Durham.