A SCHOOL has submitted a bid to become a specialist school after a benefactor rescued their fundraising drive at the 11th hour. Businessman Sir Anwar Parvez, managing director of cash and carry firm Bestway, which has recently opened a base in Darwen, made the last-minute £25,000 gift after receiving a letter from Rhyddings High School.

The Oswaldtwistle school has applied to become a specialist business and enterprise college, but headteacher Barry Burke had almost given up hope of raising the rest of the money after nearly a year of fundraising.

But then he received a telephone call on behalf of Sir Parvez, the boss of the London-based firm, late on Friday afternoon -- two weeks before the mid-October deadline.

"When I was told, I went running round the school telling cleaners and members of staff who hadn't gone home for the weekend," he said.

"They knew something was happening because it's not often you see the head dancing round the corridors."

The bid will generate £640,000 in government money, but staff at the school, in Haworth Street, Oswaldtwistle, will now have to wait until January to find out whether they have been successful.

Mr Burke told pupils at the school's annual awards ceremony last night about the bid, which will enable the school to improve links with industry.

Work is also expected to start in January on a new £700,000 business suite and e-learning centre after plans were approved.

The facility, funded by school, government and LEA, is expected to be finished in September 2004 and will provide courses for businesses and the the public.

Mr Burke added: "Sir Anwar really did step in and without his support we wouldn't have been eligible to put in the bid."