A NEW £10m secondary school in Hartlepool has received a bishop's blessing.

The Right Reverend John Pritchard, Bishop of Jarrow, officially opened St Hild's Church of England School, in King Oswy Drive, 18 months after work started on the project.

The school, which has special engineering status, was previously on a split site.

Among its facilities are technology and computer suites, laboratories and a library and art room.