A HEADTEACHER has called for community help as he launches a DIY bid to raise funds for a new £1.2million sports hall.

Frank Havard, headteacher of Hollins Technology College, said the school's sports facilities were "pitiful" and blasted the government for allowing Hyndburn to lose out to neighbouring Blackburn and Burnley.

A year ago the school, in Hollins Lane, Accrington, narrowly missed out on government funding for a new sports hall through the Lottery's New Opportunities Fund.

Speaking at last night's awards evening, Mr Havard said he was looking for alternative funding for the facility, which would provide six badminton courts, changing facilities and a community room.

"More than 200 schools bid and we were seventh on the list for sports halls when there was money for six," he said.

"At one stage last year I was trying to tap into 34 different funding streams. I'm not sure that's what parents expect a headteacher to be doing.

"We would probably have to contribute 20 per cent -- a quarter of a million pounds is hard to find but that will be the next big thing in the physical development of the site. It's got to be, we have got to do something."

Mr Havard said any work done at the school had come from its own efforts.

"Our sports facilities here are pitiful but we still win all the athletics every year.

"I'm ashamed of some of the things we have to provide and we are banging the drum to secure resources from the LEA, county council and the government.

"We have gone through a whole series of small developments and it's all been self help. We were the first school in the town to achieve specialist college status and that was with the support of local businesses. That status did result in significant extra investment but that's all been the fruits of our own labour. The big prizes tend to be government or LEA initiatives."

Alan Whittaker, Lancashire County Council member for schools and education, said: "There has been significant money spent in Hyndburn recently. The new building at Moorhead High School was £4million. So it's not fair to say Hyndburn is not getting any allocation of funds. It is, and each school gets devolved capital funding."