EDUCATION Secretary Charles Clarke has vowed to come to Burnley to help solve the town's secondary school places crisis.

The Cabinet Minister made the offer at a high-level meeting at Westminster after local education bosses outlined proposals to end the problem -- including the Big Bang option of ripping up the existing system.

MP Peter Pike, acting Lancashire Chief Education Officer Jack Bennett and Alan Whitaker who holds the county council education portfolio used the meeting to outline problems which led some parents to set up a DIY School.

They involve a suprlus of places in parts of the town but a shortage of room at much desired schools in the West of Burnley.

They made clear that options ranged from a limited series of mergers to what Mr Pike described as the "Big Bang'' option of ripping up the existing sytem and starting from scratch and closing several schools.

The problems in Burnley stem from too many parents wanting their children to attend Habergham High (created from the old selective boys' Grammar and girls' High Schools), Gawthorpe High and Ivy Bank Schools in the West of the town and too few wanting to attend other secondaries, such as Barden Boys and Walshaw Girls elsewhere.

The delegation which met Mr Clarke in his Commons Office after Prime Minister's Questions yesterday made clear that extra government cash would be needed, whatever option was chosen.

Mr Pike said that the meeting was very positive and Mr Clarke was clearly fully briefed on the problems.

The Labour MP continued: "We outlined the problems and the options that were available. Mr Clarke was very knowledgeable about the whole situation and very impressive. We all thought it was one of he best Ministerial meetings we had attended.

"He said it was up to the county to consult widely on the options and consider the results and come up with some conclusions. Mr Clarke promised full political support whatever we decided from the Department of Education.

"He said he was ready to come up to Burnley at the appropriate moment to back the county in its efforts to resolve the problem. We will almost certainly accept his offer to visit.

"He also made clear the government would consider any request for extra money when the final option is decided."

Lancashire County Council has started sending letters about places, decided by education chiefs in January. Education officers say many children will not have the place of their choice, and appeals can be made through County Hall.

The DIY school group, who set up their own classroom when they did not get the school of their choice last year, have said they would continue their fight if their children do not get places in Burnley West schools this time and have called on other parents unhappy with their allocation to join them.

Parents of 11 children set up the DIY School off Rossendale Road, Burnley, when they failed to get places at Ivy Bank, Habergham and Gawthorpe secondary schools.

Spokeswoman for the DIY school, Viki Brown, whose 12-year-old daughter Kira attends the school, welcomed the news.

She said: " I am pleased to see that the Government are taking this issue seriously."