AN MP has called on residents to sign a petition for a new high school in Radcliffe, which currently has no secondary provision.

Christian Wakeford, MP for Bury South, is calling on residents to back his campaign for a secondary school.

Mr Wakeford met with the education secretary Gavin Williamson on Monday regarding an application that has been submitted for a new high school for Radcliffe.

Mr Wakeford posted on Facebook: “With each person that signs this petition, we make clear to government the real strength of local feeling behind this campaign for a high school.

"Over the next few weeks copies of the petition will be delivered to every household across Radcliffe. Please encourage your neighbours to sign it so that we can get this much needed school as soon as possible.”

Star Academies ­— which oversees some of the country's leading schools ­— hopes to open a £15 million high school in the town. The Blackburn-based academy trust submitted its application to government in November last year.

The site of the former Radcliffe Riverside School, in Spring Lane, has been earmarked for the development if the bid is successful.

The town has been without a secondary school since Radcliffe Riverside closed in 2014, with more than 1,700 young people now forced to attend schools outside of Radcliffe.

Sign the petition at christianwakeford .org.uk/radcliffe-high-school-petition.