AFTER years of number crunching, charts, letters and protests in Westminster, a fair-funding campaigner took the chance to put her case straight to Tony Blair.

Mother-of-two Helen Donovan has been relentless in fighting for extra cash for Worcestershire's schools and when she received a tip-off that the Prime Minister was in the county she leapt into action.

Catching up with the PM in Redditch on Tuesday, February 15, Mrs Donovan, armed with files, notes and charts, quizzed Mr Blair during an impromptu five-minute meeting.

"It was very good of him and he listened intently," said the Evesham parent and school governor.

"I showed him the charts and asked him why we had fallen from midway to second-bottom in the funding tables and he said he'd give me an answer personally.

"He did not have time on the day but gave me an e-mail address direct to Number 10 and I was able to send him the Blanchflower and Oswald economic report, which proves we should have Area Cost Adjustment.

"I then rather cheekily asked him for eight years of back payment with interest!"

The most influential people used to have the ear of the Prime Minister - hopefully, in this technological age, it will prove just as valuable to have his e-mail address.

Watch this space for Tony Blair's response.