AN UNHOLY row is brewing over a church school - leading to fears of sectarianism in Dorset.

Teachers and governors at Archbishop Wake School in Blandford are proposing that the power to appoint teachers and admit children is handed over to Church of England appointees.

Town councillors - one of whom claims being discriminated against at the school - are up in arms about the proposal.

At the moment the church is voluntary controlled with admissions and teacher employment up to Dorset County Council.

Under the proposal that power would pass to governors, the majority of whom would be appointed by the Church of England.

Cllr Mike Owen said the move could only alienate children of other faiths and the many of no faith at all.

In his motion he said it would be throwing away the anti-discrimination legislation of the '60s which made it an offence to discriminate on grounds of religion.

"We think staff should be appointed on merit not religion," he said.

Cllr Carole Sharp said Roman Catholics had had to enter the old grammar school by the back door within living memory.

"I'm frightened by it," she said.

"If you're going do this kind of thing you're actually allowing a small group of people who enjoy the power to decide for the majority."

Former pupil Cllr Lynn Lindsay said as a Catholic she was not allowed into assembly but had to go to the Catholic church for instruction until it was over. "I felt different - I changed my faith," she said.

Chair of governors Sara Loch told the Daily Echo she could see where her council colleagues were coming from but said she did not think their fears would be realised.

Even Muslim parents had raised no objections during the consultation process.

"It's unlikely to have any effect whatsoever on admissions - we're short of pupils," she said.

"The change is that we can ask when we employ a head 'are you a practising Christian?'

"It's a way of being able to ask about people's morals."