SCIENTISTS of the future will be well catered for in Hyndburn after plans were unveiled for new laboratories at three of the borough's six high schools.

Millions of pounds of private and public cash is being pumped into Hyndburn's high schools, with four undergoing massive renovations to improve education provision for the area's youngsters and teenagers.

Education bosses have unveiled proposals to improve Hollins High School, Hollins Lane, Baxenden, and St Christopher's CE High School, Queens Road West, Accrington.

Work has already started at Moorhead High School, Queens Road West, and Rhyddings High School in Oswaldtwistle.

The development at St Christopher's High School involves a two storey extension to provide extra science laboratories and general classrooms.

A new science block will also appear at the Hollins High School as it becomes a technical college, specialising in science, design and technology subjects as well as continuing with traditional subjects.

Headteacher Frank Havard said: "We are aiming to serve a demand. We have to provide what people want our we already have a good reputation in this field.

"The business community has support our technical college status bid because it will provide more skilled future employees for them. The new facilities will enable us to do that."

Plans for Hollins and St Christopher's have been submitted to the development control committee of Lancashire County Council which will decide whether to back the schemes or not. Observations have now been invited from Hyndburn Council. A spokesman for the county council said: "Millions are being spent in Hyndburn but we want people's opinions about the latest plans.

"They are welcome to contact us and study the plans. It is just a case that several schemes have started off at the same time."

Work to renovate Rhyddings High School, in Haworth Street, Oswaldtwistle, has already begun.

More than £1million is being spent expanding the school's building on the site so that an annex in nearby Union Road is no longer needed.

Extra science provision will also be made on the site, along with private outdoor PE facilities -- a first for the school. And more than £2million is being ploughed into new buildings at Moorhead High School, including a state-of-the-art sports complex.