WORK has begun to demolish two iconic East Lancashire schools.

Contractors recently moved in to bring down St Hilda’s RC High School, in Coal Clough Lane, Burnley, and Edge End High School, in Hibson Road, Nelson.

The former all-girls Catholic high school St Hilda’s is being demolished after 56 years as a school after lessons finished for the final time in June.

The school merged with St Theodore’s RC boys school in 2006 to form Blessed Trinity College, in Ormerod Road, and this year is the first time all 1,250 pupils from both schools have been united on one site.

St Hilda’s RC High opened in 1954 as one of two single-sex Roman Catholic schools in the town, and was a specialist humanities college.

Edge End opened in October 1932 as Nelson Edge End Senior Boys’ School.

In 1948 it became Nelson Secondary Technical School, taking both boys and girls.

It was renamed Edge End High School in 1972.

The school closed its doors for the last time in June 2006, after merging with Mansfield High School, in Brierfield, to form Marsden Heights Community College.