A SCHOOL which has been "men only" for nearly 500 years has welcomed girls to its Class of 2001.

The new era has begun at Queen Elizabeth's Grammar School in Blackburn, where 23 girls have become the first to join the Junior and Main School.

Their arrival follows a decision by the school's governors to break with a tradition stretching back nearly half a millennium and admit girls into the school at all ages.

Among the 11-year olds who have just started in the first year are Mursaleen Razzaq from Blackburn and Georgina Eccles from Oswaldtwistle.

And they immediately took the chance to enrol in some of the school's 20-plus clubs and societies, ranging from chess and aerobics to angling and art, at a special fair held in the school Library.

Mursaleen, who previously attended Hawthorns Primary School, said she had joined the Creative Arts Club and the Games Club, which meet weekly during the lunch hour.

Georgina, who joined QEGS from St Paul's CE Primary School in Oswaldtwistle, also signed up for the Creative Arts Club as well as the Trampolining Club. She said she was settling in well as a pioneer at her new school.

"It was a bit strange at first having so many boys around in school," she said, "but the other girls are very friendly and the boys are getting used to us."

Georgina said that she was looking forward to becoming involved in music and drama performances at QEGS.

Headmaster Dr David Hempsall said: "It has been a delight to welcome the girls into our school and to see them quickly begin to make their mark. We are very pleased to have had so many families expressing interest in the kind of education we offer their sons and daughters here at QEGS.'

Mursaleen, Georgina and their colleagues are blazing a trail for the girls who will follow them as the school changes to become fully co-educational, Dr Hempsall added.

The young girls who joined QEGS are following in senior footsteps - 20 years ago the first female students were welcomed into the Sixth Form Centre to study for their A Levels.