A PRIMARY school has been stunned by the collapse of a building firm which had started work on a £1million revamp.

St Gregory's R.C, in Farnworth, faces an uncertain future after the Leeds-based T.C.T Construction went into liquidation.

Yesterday should have been the official foundation laying ceremony which headteacher Gerard Maloney was confident would take the school into the new millennium.

Now staff and pupils are surrounded by scaffolding, barriers and concrete-filled trenches while the offices have been replaced by "tin boxes".

Steps have already been taken to secure all the work areas but Mr Maloney and his staff are uncertain as to what happens next.

The Presto Street school was established in 1854. It has had serious structural problems for many years with areas supported by scaffolding. Since 1994 the education authority has worked with the Catholic church to secure Government cash to partially fund a major re-vamp.

Builders moved onto the site on April 29 and demolished the offices. Foundations were laid to replace the junior block and refurbish the infants' section.

"On June 26 we had our first inkling that something wasn't right when no-one turned up for work," said Mr Maloney.

"Next morning it was confirmed that the company had gone into liquidation.

"Because the diocese placed the contract, it's in their hands. It's really disappointing, we've had scaffolding on site for four years and thought finally, we'd be sorted." "My office and that of my secretary has been demolished. We're now working in a tin box and all our hopes that the junior department would be replaced over the summer holidays have been shattered."

Insolvency specialists Grant Thornton, of Leeds, were appointed administrative receivers on June 25. A spokesman said: "T.C.T Construction Ltd is not in a position to fulfil its outstanding contracts and has ceased to trade. All the company's employees were made redundant on June 25.

"There are five other contracts outstanding. I am advised there is another company called TCT Northern Building Limited. This is not in receivership and not under our control."

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