STORES of chemicals found in old school labs have been disposed of by specialist contractors at a cost of almost £10,000.

The radioactive waste was cleared from the old Mitchell High School site in Bucknall.

Stoke-on-Trent City Council brought in contractors to get rid of the chemicals safely.

Mitchell High closed in September, along with Edensor Technology College in Longton, to be replaced by the Discovery Academy.

The school site is currently being used by students while their new academy building is constructed in Bentilee.

A city council report shows the authority had to spend £9,906 on the removal of radioactive waste from the site.

Councillor Ruth Rosenau, cabinet member for regeneration, said: "As part of preparations for work at Mitchell High School to create the site's new academy a number of non-domestic materials were needed to be disposed of.

"This is standard practice for school buildings, which have chemicals stored within safes in the school laboratories as part of work in the science department."

Residents living close to the school have welcomed news that the unusual remnants of years of science experiments are being taken away securely.

Nick Rowlands, aged 33, of Causeley Road, said: "It's good to hear something like that is being taken care of. I don't know what will happen to the site, rumours have gone around about it being housing.

"We need to know what's happening as some people think some homes will be knocked down and replaced.

"I think it should have stayed as a school, or at least some form of place for education."

Mother-of-five Dawn Cooper, of Causeley Road, added: "It should have stayed as a school as my relatives who attended there have always been really happy there."

The 30-year-old added: "If they found some kind of chemicals on the site I am glad to hear they dealt with it."

Emma Watson, of Corneville Road, has also called for the school to remain.

The 31-year-old mother-of-one, who has lived in the area for seven years, said: "It is a shame it can't continue as a school. There are so many children on the estate it makes sense for a school to be here."

A city council spokesman confirmed no future use for the plot has been decided.

He added: "The school's playing fields are included in the council's sports and leisure strategy until 2016, which means there is a defined use for the sports pitches until then.

"In the meantime, we are looking at possible future uses for the site."