AN INFANTS' school in Burnley is believed to have become the first in the county to get an information communication suite.

One of the first things the youngsters aged from four to seven learnt after logging onto the Internet was how to send e-mails to Father Christmas and to get an almost instant reply.

"Their faces were a joy" said head of Rosegrove Infants School, Angela Barker.

The £15,000 high tech 12 computer suite at the Owen Street school was officially opened by Sheila Thomas of the Lancashire schools' library service who helped set up the project.

Mrs Barker said: "We have refurbished a room which is being used partly to teach ICT schools across the curriculum and partly for the school library where children are using the computerised system.

"They identify themselves with their thumb prints to scan the books which are then logged in the system.

"It is a computerised facility which the whole school is able to use."

An open evening was attended by governors and parents who were all welcomed by governor chairman Fr John Haigh. The children demonstrated use of the hardware. Mrs Barker added: "We feel it is quite an achievement for an infants' school to be bringing children into the 21st century and at the same time introducing them to the technical age of which they will become citizens."

She added: "We also want to link in with the community and offer the facility to adults to come along in the evening and and use it for computer courses.

"Parents have told us they feel they don't know as much about computers as their children."

Rosegrove infants was one of the Lancashire schools accused of hoarding money in a trade union report.

Mrs Barker said: "This is a school where the resources are spent for the benefit of the children. Money was there at the end of last year but then the big bills come in it reduces in our case from £85,000 to £35,000. The money is all earmarked for projects at the school."