Northumberland County Council is reviewing 21 schools in the county.

About 14% of classroom places in Berwick are currently empty, costing the council more than �2m.

One possible solution put forward is the merger of two middle schools and a high school.

But Mike Trimming, senior education officer at Northumberland County Council, said it was too early to say if there would be any school closures.

We are looking to match the number of school places with the demand Mike Trimming

He said the merger of Berwick High School, Berwick Middle School and Tweedmouth Middle School was a one of a number of proposals put forward to parents and teachers at a consultation meeting.

Mr Trimming said: "We are at the stage now of floating some ideas with stakeholders, headteachers, chairs of governors in the Berwick area and we will have to see how those discussions progress.

"We are looking to match the number of school places with the demand.

"I don't think [that idea] is any more likely at the moment than the others. It was one of a significant number of options that we put forward to test reactions.

"The county council's policy is to try and retain the three tier system.

Another idea to merge St Cuthbert's RC school with a Church of England school had received "some support", added Mr Trimming.

He said the review would be finished by early autumn and any changes could be implemented in September 2004 at the earliest.