GOVERNORS last night voted resoundingly in favour of a plan to forge a federation between two North-East schools.

The union, between top-performing Hurworth and struggling Eastbourne comprehensive schools in Darlington, will be the first of its kind in the country.

It will come into effect from September 1 and will immediately attract £2m in funding for the schools.

Another £1m will be available to spend on staffing and resources over the next three years.

Separate meetings were held at the schools last night to decide on the proposals.

Sixteen governors at Hurworth debated the topic for one and three quarter hours before voting "overwhelmingly" in favour of the federation.

Eastbourne governors also backed the initiative by a massive majority.

Hurworth headteacher Eamonn Farrar, who will be appointed federation chief executive, was delighted with the decision.

"It's great news and a hugely positive result," he said. "The federation is now up and running. We are all very excited."

Eastbourne ward councillor and former Eastbourne school governor Lee Vasey said: "I'm pleased that the federation has been accepted by both sets of governors.

"I can only see that this will benefit both schools, but particularly Eastbourne. I can see Eastbourne now moving forward."

Eastbourne School was put into special measures last November after a damning report by Ofsted inspectors.

An action plan to improve standards was put into effect at the start of this year and has already saved the school from closure. It is hoped the federation will pull it out of special measures and dramatically improve exam results.

The initiative, which is backed by the Department for Education and Skills and Darlington Borough Council, will see the schools sharing staff, facilities and equipment from next term.

The proposals, which were only revealed at the start of this month, have caused controversy, with some parents expressing fears that neither school would benefit from the union.

But Mr Farrar said the governors' votes provided a "ringing endorsement" for the federation.

"It's very much a new world but I make the same commitment to parents that I have always made. There is only one way the standards at Hurworth School are going and that is upwards. And I expect Eastbourne's results to improve hugely over the next three to five years."

If successful, the Darlington experiment is likely to set a precedent for helping failing schools across the country.