THE family of one of England's greatest ever actors is competing to take on a campus closed down by a debt-laden college.

Relatives of actor Sir John Gielgud are bidding to set up a school specialising in the performing arts on the Haywards Heath campus of Central Sussex College, who will vacate the site next summer.

The Gielgud Academy of Performing Arts (GAPA) wants to set up a free school and their bid has received the backing of Strictly Come Dancing star Katie Derham who trained at their studios with partner Anton du Beke.

The television and radio presenter, whose two daughters attend GAPA, said: "It does need a fresh approach, clearly it wasn't working just as a sixth-form college in that location."

The Haywards-Heath group will be competing against Warden Park Secondary Academy in Cuckfield who have also expressed an interest in the site to set up a sixth-form academy.

Central Sussex College came under fire last month for its announcement to close its East Grinstead campus this summer and its Haywards Heath campus next year at the loss of 43 jobs and affecting more than 1,000 students.

The vast majority of the college's £25 million debt is on a mortgage for the Haywards Heath campus.

GAPA was founded by Sir John's great-nephew Piers and his wife Suzanne in 2011 and already uses Central Sussex facilities for evening and weekend classes.

The academy wants to create an all-through school for children aged five to 18 with a specialism in the performing, visual, creative arts and media.

Academy bosses said there is a recognized need for more primary and secondary provision in the area, in particular a sixth form provision as there is currently none in the pipeline from September 2017.

Warden Park Secondary Academy headteacher Jonathan Morris said: "There are about 130,000 people in Mid Sussex - that's about 900 students in year 11 in local schools.

"I do feel that our students deserve an academic sixth form and we can deliver it."