THE Conservatives' prospective Parliamentary candidate for Darlington has told of his support for a threatened school.

Anthony Frieze spoke out after meeting Hurworth School, Maths and Computing College headteacher Dean Judson.

Darlington Borough Council is undertaking a review of secondary schools and has hinted that one or two may have to close because of falling pupil numbers.

But Mr Frieze said: "We recognise there is a problem of falling school rolls in Darlington, but why does the axe have to fall on one of the best-performing ones, which is already over-subscribed?"

Mr Frieze has also written to Prime Minister Tony Blair, seeking his views on the matter.