The education group behind seven Norfolk schools has announced its bid to open an eighth - and make it 'the best in Norfolk'.

The Inspiration Trust wants to create a free school in Great Yarmouth and is now putting plans together to submit to the government for approval.

Bosses at the trust said they had tried for two years to work with the town's exisiting high school, but was now striking out on its own.

The new free school - Trafalgar College - will specialise in maths and engineering to make the most of Yarmouth's 'fantastic oppotunities' within the energy industry, and take children aged 11 - 18.

No site has been announced for the new school but the trust is looking at 'a number of locations'.

Dame Rachel de Souza, chief executive of the Inspiration Trust, said she and her staff were '100pc' committed to Great Yarmouth and determined to see the bid through to fruition.

'My trustees, principals, the whole organisation are not going to let this bid falter,' she added.

'For us, the heart, the centre of our trust is Great Yarmouth and that's why we have been trying so hard to work with other partners. If that's not to be we're not giving up.

'We've got a growing population and we need another school.'

For more on this story see tomorrow's EDP.