FAMILIES of children who attend the Hurst and Hamblett Special Schools have been voicing their concerns about the council's plans to site a new special school next to the Scott Clinic, a regional secure unit for mental health patients.

Furious grandmother Kath Sharples, whose 10-year-old grandson attends the Hurst Special School, said: "I can't believe that anyone in their right mind could contemplate siting a school -- let alone a special school where children are quite vulnerable -- next to a secure unit like the Scott Clinic. It's a ludicrous idea.

"I must admit that when it was decided to close the two schools and rehouse the pupils in one school that I was against the idea initially. But when I thought about it I realised that the schools needed modernising and bringing up to date and that in the end it would be to my grandson's benefit.

"But this latest idea is ridiculous and the council seem to have tried to keep everything quiet until now. My daughter received a letter in June to say that land had been acquired at Elephant Lane/Rainhill Road for the new school, but nowhere did it mention that the site was next to the Scott Clinic.

"I only found out last week when I turned the radio on and heard Dr Cameron Boyd, the man in charge of the Scott Clinic, saying that he couldn't guarantee the safety of our children. My family and the parents of some of the other children who attend the school are seriously concerned about these plans and have written to the Council to voice our objections. I would urge any other parents whose children will be attending the new school and who have objections to write to the planning department at St Helens Town Hall immediately."

And it's not just the families of pupils who are against the siting of the new school. Health chiefs at St Helens and Knowsley Hospitals NHS Trust have also rasied safety concerns and have objected to the siting of the new school. Hospital Trust spokeswoman, Carol Freeman, said the proposals went against Government policy which recommended mental health facilities were not built near schools.

In a letter to St Helens Council Dr Cameron Boyd from the Scott Clinic said there had been no major incidents at the clinic in the last 15 years but he couldn't guarantee the safety of pupils.

He said: "Unfortunately, neither I nor any of my colleagues can guarantee there will never be any incident involving patients from the Scott Clinic."

A spokesman for the council said that although members of St Helens planning committee have approved planning permission for the new £8m school, the council will still have to carry out a risk assessment before full planning permission is granted and proposals forwarded to the Secretary of State.