A NEW school is to be created in a Teesside town.

Linthorpe infants and junior schools, in Middlesbrough, are to be merged to form a community primary school.

A Schools Adjudicator, who was called in because of objections to the proposal, has decided in favour of Middlesbrough Council's plan, and the school is expecte to open next year.

Councillor Paul Thompson, executive member for education on Middlesbrough Council, said: "It is the last of a series we have done. Since the days of Cleveland County Council, whenever the opportunity has arisen, we have incorporated infants and junior schools.

"We think it is better to have a progression to a single phase type school.

"When we went to the Schools Organisation Committee, they rejected our proposals, saying it was not in the schools' best interests.

"The church groups objected, and so it went to the adjudicator, who came down in favour of the proposal.''

A spokesman for the Schools Adjudicator said: "In approving the proposals, the adjudicator, Mr Andrew Collier, recognised that the local education authority (LEA) has a policy of reorganising primary education into all-through primary schools, and concluded that it is reasonable for the LEA to complete its reorganisation."

A headteacher has yet to be chosen for the school.