Councillors are looking at helping Helston Community College furnish its new building after hearing that there was no money in the budget for furniture.

It was the suggestion of councillor Rev Danny Reed, who said he had been "horrified" by the state of the tables and chairs when the Central Methodist Church used the current school hall to worship in.

He told his fellow town councillors: "If these are the ones that the school is going to move across to the new build, which is likely to take another 18 months, they're going to be in an awful state and there's no money to replace them.

"I feel that's a really sad state of affairs when we have got this wonderful new-build, but tables are covered with chewing gum and the chairs are frayed."

Rev Reed added that in a meeting between the council and the school, involving executive headteacher Donna Bryant and chairman of the governors Chris Webb, a figure of £10,000 had been mentioned.

Councillors were unclear whether this represented all the furniture that needed replacing or was just for one classroom, saying it "doesn't sound like a lot."

They calculated that this would represent roughly £3 per household on the yearly council tax bill for a Band D property.

It was agreed that before making any decision they would raise the issue at a meeting with West Cornwall MP Derek Thomas, who they had been due to meet with this week but this was no longer taking place. However, it would be put on the agenda when the meeting was rearranged.