AN INTERNET site set up to give information about Lancashire's Building Schools for the Future programme has signed up more than 300 friends.

The website - on the giant MySpace social networking system - carries the latest news releases about the school building projects, up-to-date pictures of the sites under construction, links to coverage of the programme in other media, and comments and questions from readers.

Whenever the county council issues a press release about Building Schools for the Future it is emailed to all of the projects' MySpace friends.

The "friends" who have signed up include a fan club for Pendle actor John Simm who most recently starred in Life on Mars and Doctor Who, Burnley punk group the Not Sensibles, and a heavy metal band from Australia called "Burnley".

Building Schools for the Future is a £250 million investment by Lancashire County Council in new education facilities on nine sites in Burnley and Pendle.

Marcus Johnstone, Lancashire County Council's cabinet member for Children and Young People's services, said: "Our aim is to build a more-prosperous, better-educated, and happier community in Burnley and Pendle.

"We want to make sure everyone is informed and involved. Especially school students, other young people, and those who don't consume the main stream media.

"MySpace is a communication tool which they are comfortable with.

"In the first instance we have concentrated on making friends with people from Burnley and Pendle - but MySpace users from all over Lancashire are welcome to sign up as our friends.

"We try to answer questions and comments wherever possible. We are happy to leave opposing points of view on the site - as long as they are not abusive, and do not contain swear words."

The MySpace page is at www.myspace.com/lancsbsf .