YOUNG politicians gave their older counterparts a grilling at a school election.

Towneley High School in Burnley welcomed the town's Labour MP Peter Pike, Peter Doyle from the Conservatives and Gordon Birtwistle for the Liberal Democrats.

Head of upper school and assistant head Paul Matty said: "It is part of out politics and citizenship course.

"They asked the politicians some quite challenging questions such as defining their party's position in relation to left and right and a number of questions relating to Afghanistan and how we should treat people positively what ever their race or colour.

"One of their main concerns was over student and university fees." A mock election will be held at the school in three weeks time but first year 11 will be analysing the politician comments, arranging themselves into parties, nominating a candidate and selecting an agent before going 'on the hustings'.

After the election the students will be joining with Ivy Bank High School to take part in a democracy week debate.