A TOP Tory has apologised for a photograph in a campaign leaflet which a leading school governor said made parents think their school was in line to be knocked down.

The Conservative leader of Wyre Forest District Council, Stephen Clee, said he was sorry if parents at Stourminster Special School in Kidderminster thought the picture meant the school was to be demolished, as that was not the case.

The photograph showed Mr Clee and other leading Tories on the school's drive with a caption stating they were "inspecting possible new sites for a new high school" in Kidderminster.

Mr Clee said: "If I have in any way shape or form made reference that Stourminster is going to be knocked down then I apologise."

He insisted Stourminster would not get the chop and the picture was a reference to nearby land that was suitable for the new high school, to replace King Charles I High, if a Tory-backed shake-up of schools takes effect in 2007.

The photograph had, however, "caused concern and unnecessary alarm to parents of very vulnerable children" said Fran Oborski, chairman of governors at the Comberton Road school.

Mrs Oborski said: "People are shocked and horrified at the thought that Stourminster is now to be demolished and all because of this stupid leaflet."

She added it had left some parents thinking Worcestershire County Council had done an "underhand deal" and was particularly distressing to parents of children at Wolverley's Alexander Patterson special school, which closes next month, and will relocate its pupils to Stourminster.

She said: "These parents have enough to struggle with in life as it is without getting silly leaflets that tell them the school they have just accepted a place at is about to be bulldozed."

Mrs Oborski is to stand against the Tories' prospective parliamentary candidate, Mark Garnier, at the general election expected in May.

Mr Garnier was in the photograph, in the leaflet for the Spennells area of Kidderminster, with Wyre Forest district councillor Maureen Aston.

He said it was an "unfortunate mistake".