A BUSINESSMAN is to donate £1million of his own money to salvage a school sports hall project after a bid for Lottery cash was rejected.

Tony Baron, chair of governors and proprietor of Oakhill College, Whalley, is to donate the cash to help rescue a scheme that looked doomed less than a week ago.

The Great Harwood businessman, who made his money from petrol stations across Lancashire, today said he had no alternative but to help out.

Ribble Valley MP Nigel Evans said the school was incredibly fortunate' to have someone who could rescue the project but insisted that the Government should not be relying on generous businessmen.

The school received planning permission last year for a £1.5 million sports centre complete with spectator seats and a fully-equipped fitness suite.

But an application for funding to Sport England, a National Lottery-funded organisation that funds recreational projects, was rejected last week.

The fee-paying school had applied for a third of the total cost but was told it hadn't demonstrated there was enough local need for the facility.

Mr Baron, who said he runs the school as a non-profit making concern, said: "I think what I'm doing is a bit unusual and people say they don't believe it, but at the same time the school is more than worth it.

"I will pay £1million of my own money in and borrow the rest from the bank.

"Pupils here have never had anything like this before and I hope this kind of facility will keep the school full in the future. The school fees pay for the running of the school and any profit is ploughed back in.

"This gesture is not entirely selfless, we will open the sports hall to the public and they will pay their way.

"We had hoped that Sport England would be giving us a grant but we were turned down, which makes us the fourth or fifth such project rejected in the Ribble Valley in recent months.

"School funds will also be used, as well as fundraising activities."

The sports hall will house five basketball courts, retractable seating for 210 spectators, male and female changing facilities plus an upstairs fitness suite and aerobics room.

The school, which has 300 pupils, also submitted plans for new all-weather football pitches and tennis and netball courts this week.

Ribble Valley Council, which approved the sports hall plans, has also received proposals for a change of use to school fields to provide new football pitches, both grass and all-weather, plus tennis and netball courts.

School bosses hope building work will start in the coming weeks and take just 34 weeks to complete.

Mr Baron, 65, became involved in Oakhill 15 years ago when he paid to set up its preparatory school after the school attended by his children, Heathfield Primary in Blackburn, ran into financial difficulties.

He later went on to buy the land and school buildings outright in 1998.

Mr Baron also paid for a new preparatory school building for younger pupils which opened in 2003, but this latest venture represents by far his biggest investment in the school.

MP Nigel Evans said: "This is a hugely generous gesture which will benefit everyone who goes to the school. The government lectures us on being fit and healthy and should be only too happy to give financial assistance to schools like this.

"But it's been left to somebody like Tony Baron to put his hands in his pockets."