THE doors have opened at the new multi-million pound Burnley High School for the first time.

The new building in Byron Street will welcome 238 students today from the Parkhill Business Centre where they have been based since the free school's inception in 2014.

Headteacher Vicky Povey said she will aim to maintain the 'close-knit community' created at Parkhill.

She said: "It's been such a long haul getting over here and it's a huge relief we are finally here.

"We are a fabulous school and we've just got to make sure we continue being that in a new home.

"The facilities are going to make a lot of difference for technology, IT and music. We didn't have any equipment for these sorts of things before.

"I think it's testament to the school that we managed at Parkhill and I think it has made us who we are.

"We are a close-knit community and we care about each other and that will remain our ethos.

"If we can get every student to make the right progress by the time they leave and and give them a caring community we will have done a good job."

Students were due to move into a new home at the old Habergham High School within six months of the new school's inception.

But when an unfilled mineshaft was discovered, a new building had to be drawn up from scratch rather than simply refurbishing the old one, which has now been demolished.

The new building, commissioned through the Education Funding Authority on behalf of Chapel Street Community Schools Trust, includes five science labs, a fitness centre, a food technology classroom and a large library.

The school is adding an extra year group every September as well as recruiting more staff members to deal with the increased pupil rosta.

It has been designed by JM Architects and built by Eric Wright Construction.

The new school has capacity for 650 students and will open a sixth form in the coming years.