BOLTON education bosses have been snubbed in their efforts to improve school security.

A cash bid from Bolton Education Authority after the Dunblane massacre for money to install security cameras in schools has been turned down by the Government.

But today councillors and education chiefs were checking whether there is any way they can make a renewed bid after the horror of the machete attack on young children in the Midlands.

"Other than building a six foot fence around the school and putting barbed wire on top I don't know the answer," said Cllr Don Eastwood, Chairman of Education. "A number of our schools have intercoms and the vast majority are locked throughout the day, but that in itself is a very sad state of affairs.

"We have spent years trying to make our schools the heart of the local community yet here we are now looking at how we can close them off. It's very sad and I don't know the answer," he added.

The massacre of 16 children and their teacher at Dunblane made school security throughout Britain a major issue.

Yesterday's machete attack in Wolverhampton has brought new urgency in the effort to make schools more secure.

Earlier this year Bolton's education department submitted a joint bid with leisure services to install CCT cameras on school buildings are also used for leisure and community events.

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