A SPECIALIST engineering and construction college that was predicted to 'revolutionise' education in East Lancashire has just 73 students out of a possible 800, it has been revealed.

Concerns over the future of UTC Lancashire, which is based in Burnley, have been raised after details of the vocational college student numbers were published in a report complied by the House of Commons Library.

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The report concludes that the centre, which takes students between the ages of 14 and 19-years-old from across Blackburn, Accrington and Burnley, is not recruiting as many pupils as it needs in order to be financially 'viable'.

Community leaders said they now fear for the college's future.

This latest report comes after managing director Martin Callagher left his position at the end of last month.

At the start of the new term Jacque Petriaho and Jack Pendlebury became the UTC's principal and deputy principal respectively.

Cllr Gordon Birtwistle, who was Burnley's MP until 2015, said: "I'm really concerned about its future.

"The first year that it opened it got 90 students which filled it up but it has not moved on from them.

"It's down to bad management and also schools not asking them to showcase themselves to their students.

"It was set to revolutionise local education but it has not done so."

The UTC opened at Victoria Mill in August 2013 as Visions Learning Trust UTC and is the only one in the region.

It has also been revealed that Training 2000, which is based in Blackburn, is no longer the main sponsor of the UTC.

In one of his last letters to parents Mr Callagher said: "Both parties felt that it was appropriate in our stage development for us to be able to move forward as an independent college.

"We are extremely grateful to Training 2000 for their great support in helping us to become established in the educational community."

Burnley Council leader, Cllr Mark Townsend, said: "It's a disappointing start to it's life and it will be concerning if the numbers do not improve.

"We have been aware of the lack of students for some time but we are committed to the UTC and it has a future because of the type of education it provides."

Ian Adlington, headteacher of Marsden Heights Community College in Nelson, said: "I do not think that the narrow provision that is offered at the UTC is particularly necessary.

"I think from a parental point of view if I was sending my child to a UTC, I would worry that they were missing out on other aspects of the curriculum that is best provided by a comprehensive school."

Developed in partnership with Lancashire County Council and Pendle, Burnley and Blackburn with Darwen borough councils and supported by the University of Central Lancashire, the setting up of the Visions Learning Trust project was driven by Training 2000 boss Steve Gray.

Mr Gray said: “Training 2000 has been very proud to support the UTC in its creation and development through significant investment over the past few years.

"Training 2000 has taken the strategic decision to focus on our own growth plans as we move into exciting times, with key projects happening as we speak."

A spokesman for the House of Commons Library said: "The concerns that have been raised around the operation of UTCs have focused on enrolment numbers, and the attendance rates of pupils enrolled."

UTC Lancashire was unavailable for comment yesterday.