PARENTS of pupils at a cash starved-primary school are being asked to hand over £99 to 'buy' a teacher.

Whalley C of E Primary last night sent a letter to all parents of its 187 pupils urging them to raise nearly £20,000 to pay a teacher's salary for a year.

A lack of cash means the school only has the resources to pay for six staff next term instead of seven.

Acting head Linda Roberts said if the money was not found, a temporary staff member would be lost in September.

She said: "It is a radical idea but I've heard about one school raffling a car to pay for a teacher.

"Parents are being asked to commit themselves to the project for two years and we are confident of their full backing.

"There will be no redundancies if we don't raise the money but it means we will be forced to teach six classes in the new academic term instead of seven. For various reasons we have have three temporary members of staff and one of them would have to go if the money is not found." The £99-per-pupil figure was decided at a meeting last week.

The school's income declined when the number of pupils on the roll dropped from around 240. Whalley Primary recently hitthe headlines when eight governors quit at the same time amid controversy over falling pupil numbers.

A 'prospectus' has been circulated to all parents and families who will be sending children to the school for the first time in September.

The school is aiming to set up a trust and three parents, accountant John Anderson, solicitor Stephen Barker and company director Andrew Ronnan, are heading the project. A firm of solicitors andaccountants has also given the school advice.

Mr Ronnan said: "It is far too early to assess whether the scheme will get off the ground, but in any event, there has clearly been a huge groundswell of support for Linda Roberts and her staff.

"Parents feel most strongly that the present teachers are first class and that this financial problem is most certainly one that they have inherited, not caused."

"I am convinced the present financial difficulties are only short term."

Head teacher Yvonne Hulse is currently on sick leave.

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