STAFF and students in a Blackburn high school and sixth form centre are the first in the county to access buildings with state-of-the-art fingerprint recognition technology.

Headteacher of Tauheedul Islam Girls’ School said the high tech system was fitted in the high school after a trial in Tauheedul’s Sixth Form Centre.

Hamid Patel, said the proposals for the Sixth Form Centre were welcomed by students, but parents at the high school had been hesitant when letters detailing the plans were sent home.

Mr Patel said that the location of the school in the middle of Bicknell Street, together with construction work at the mosque, which is adjacent to the school, had lead to the decision.

The £5,000 investment into the technology has been welcomed by staff and students.

The system activates from 8.15am and deactivates at 4pm as well as when there is a fire alarm.

Eventually the system will be used to its full capacity and students will be able to register themselves using their thumbprints.

Mr Patel said: “The sixth formers felt excited, felt really special.

"Students in know they are safe, they know it is important and we talk to them about it.”