THE twinning partnership between a school in Blackburn and one in the Pakistan town where Osama bin Laden was killed has been axed.

Under the scheme, pupils from Daisyfield Primary School exchanged letters and poems with their Abbottabad counterparts.

But ties between Abbottabad and Blackburn were severed "to avoid sensitive political issues" after the US raid on bin Laden's hideout compound on May 2.

Both towns had taken part in the three-year Connecting Classrooms programme - run by the British Council - which was due to end this month.

However, officials at Blackburn with Darwen Borough Council decided to end the scheme weeks earlier than expected when Abbottabad, 50km from the capital Islamabad, was thrown into the world spotlight.

A planned visit to Blackburn in mid-May by five teachers from Abbottabad was scrapped and a scheduled video conference was also halted.

The Associated Press news agency obtained an e-mail sent to interested parties by Carole Grady, who was the council's head of ethnic minority achievement service when the scheme began.

It read: "I am sorry to say that a decision has been taken that the Blackburn cluster must distance itself from the partnership in Abbottabad in order to avoid sensitive political issues, therefore neither the video conference nor the visit can go ahead."

Zafar Abbasi, a school official in the Pakistani town, told AP: "Abottabad residents had nothing to do with Osama or any of his activity.

"Linking them with Osama is regrettable, and depriving students of the programme is even worse."

Harry Devonport, Blackburn with Darwen Council's director of education, said: "The scheme, which was a British Council- funded initiative, was programmed to come to an end around this time and this has now happened.

"A decision was taken in consultation with headteachers to wind down the scheme slightly earlier and we were clear that this bears no reflection on the school.

"The British Council decided which areas should be part of the programme, which included other schools across the country taking part.

"No council funds have been invested in this project."

The British Council says the aim of the project is to build lasting partnerships between schools in the UK and others around the world with the aim of developing understanding and trust between young people.

In June 2008, a number of teachers from Abbottabad visited Blackburn to meet pupils and help plan projects.

Along with representatives from other schools in Pakistan and Bangladesh, they also enjoyed a tour of local landmarks including Blackburn Rovers' Ewood Park ground.

Speaking at the time of the visit, a council leader told the local newspaper he hoped the partnerships would continue beyond the three-year programme.

Chris Thayne, the then council executive member for children's services, told the Lancashire Telegraph: "We've had a great response from our schools and they're very excited by this opportunity.

"It's not only about working with schools in Pakistan, but also working more closely with each other.

"The schools will come out with an International Schools Award at the end of it, but we hope the connections will continue beyond the three years of the project."