THE Bishop of Blackburn 'topped off' the dawning of a £12million new era at one of Lancashire's largest comprehensives.

Contractors have been working for nine months on a replacement state-of-the-art school at St Wilfrid's CE High in Blackburn.

The Rt Rev Alan Chesters and headteacher David Whyte were on hand to celebrate the succesful completion of the first phase. St Wilfrid's has been re-born on the busy site off King Street, less than a mile from the town centre. The school caters for 1,500 pupils.

Several attempts to relocate failed, so the massive building programme started around the old Byrom Street school buildings. The new school is expected to be fully open for the new academic year in 2004.