A TOP-PERFORMING school in Tony Blair's constituency has been blocked from expanding - in the same week the Labour Government set out plans to enlarge popular schools.

The Education Bill, published on Tuesday, is a crucial plank of the Prime Minister's third term and allows schools to expand and gain more freedom from the local authority.

But last night, governors at Hurworth School, near Darlington, said their plans to expand by a third, to 900-pupils, had been blocked by Labour-controlled Darlington Borough Council.

The council has stopped the school's plans because it is in diametric opposition to its own plans for a £25m academy in the town.

Last night, it emerged that the Prime Minister is to step into the row between the school and the council.

Mr Blair's agent, John Burton, said the Prime Minister supported the expansion of popular schools, but that this case was complicated and he planned to meet the school and the authority.

Officials claimed the Hurworth expansion would have meant the school could have taken 300 more children from the Eastbourne area of Darlington - one of the most deprived parts of the town.

But the council would rather close Hurworth - as well as the struggling Eastbourne Comprehensive - to make way for a £25m academy on the outskirts of Darlington.

Academies are also being pushed by Mr Blair's Government, and there is much support for the council's plan within parts of the town.

A statement from Hurworth governors said: "Expansion can only take place with the support of the local authority, and as long as the current personnel are in charge at the council, it is unlikely that the 300 extra kids will get the chance to go to Hurworth School.

"Tony Blair is keen for successful and popular schools to offer more places to parents, and so were we. The council's decision is a bitter blow to his policies on education in a week when his Education Bill is to begin finding its way through the House of Commons."

The council has been at loggerheads with Hurworth campaigners for months.

Earlier this week, The Northern Echo revealed how some school supporters were behind a plan for a directly-elected mayor in Darlington.

Last night, a council spokeswoman said: "The published plan to expand Hurworth could not be funded, it would have cost an extra £180,000 for transport, and would have left more than 300 children without a school place."

Chairwoman of governors Sam Jameson said: "We provided the council with three models for educating all children in Darlington under our expansion plans.

"These have been completely ignored."

The council spokeswoman said: "We would be more than happy to look any plan from the school which addresses these issues."