AS your headline of Monday July 18 stated, in appropriately dramatic fashion, the fight to save Catholic sixth form education in the Burnley area is now over.

Our best advice was that although legal challenges in the High Court and the European Court were possible, even an outcome in our favour would almost certainly have merely delayed the inevitable.

I would like to place on record my thanks to all the governors, staff, parents, students and members of the Catholic community, local and national, who gave such magnificent support to our cause.

I would also like to thank the local media, particularly the Lancashire Evening Telegraph and Radio Lancashire, for their even-handed coverage of the debate.

My abiding memory will be of a packed County Hall, Preston, the thunderous applause for the speeches in our favour, and the deafening silence for those against.

Sadly, I will also remember those 14 of 25 members of the schools organisation committee who could be bothered to attend, asking not a single question, making not a single comment, but rubber-stamping the decision.

This was shortly before the general election, and the first taste of 'democracy' in action for many of our sixth formers. What a fine example.

I still believe with all my heart that something very precious has been lost and I am fearful for Catholic post-16 education nationally.

Thirty seven years ago the local Catholic community fought for local, distinctively Catholic post-16 provision equal to that in Blackburn, Bolton, Bury and Manchester.

It would seem that their struggles were in vain.

FRANCIS SWARBRICK, Chatsworth Close, Blackburn.