SECURITY checks are being conducted at every school in the Bolton borough after the £500,000 blaze at Withins School at the weekend.

But Brian Atkinson, Deputy Director of Education, stressed: "Schools need to balance safety with security.

"We cannot have our children being educated in fortresses with bars on the windows and card locks on doors. We obviously want and need to minimise risks but do not want to impinge on pupils' liberty."

The council has started to survey all schools and a recent security exhibition was well attended by school representatives across the borough.

"It's a question of trying to get messages across without overdoing it," added Mr Atkinson. Cllr Paul Fitzpatrick, whose Bradshaw ward includes Withins School, asked when the school would be back to full working order after 20 of the 60 classrooms were destroyed.

Mr Atkinson said: "We have set ourselves the very tight deadline of June 3 to have temporary accommodation on site. In the longer term it's very difficult to say as we do not yet know the full extent of the damage."

Two youths quizzed by detectives have been released on police bail. Anyone with information about the blaze should contact Astley Bridge CID on 0161 872 5050.

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