A SENIOR teacher at crisis-hit Mansfield High School who was facing disciplinary action by education bosses has resigned.

Alan Duckworth stepped down from his role as acting deputy head at the 1,200-pupil Brierfield school as Lancashire Education Authority considered its next move in the long-running proceedings against him.

A statement from the county council today said Mr Duckworth, of Patterdale Close, Reedley, had decided to pursue other career opportunities and disciplinary proceedings had stopped.

It added that neither party would comment further.

Mr Duckworth was suspended 12 months ago after allegations of physical abuse of pupils at the school.

A subsequent police investigation found there was no case to answer but Mr Duckworth was kept on suspension while an internal investigation by the education authority went ahead. Disciplinary proceedings started in the autumn but Mr Duckworth successfully applied to the High Court for an injunction to halt the action after claiming education bosses had not followed the correct procedure.

They were told to consult "the properly constituted governing body" and the head teacher before taking any further action.

The school's head Ernie Pickup and business manager Peter Cowell-Smith have been away from the school for 14 months during a police investigation into allegations of financial mismanagement.

Peter Dixon, currently head at Primet High, Colne, will take over for two years at Easter, to lead Mansfield through the special measures it was put under by the Department of Education last year.

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