AMBLESIDE residents have expressed concern that two new signs planned for the entrance of St Martin's College, Ambleside, do not mention the name of its founder and turn-of-the-century British educator Charlotte Mason.

Members of the Lake District National Park Authority's development control committee approved the signs but also agreed to pass on to the college a letter from Ambleside Civic Society which says there is "widespread concern" in the town that " Charlotte Mason is no longer worthy of recognition."

Coun Maureen Colquhoun accused the college of "doing a very dirty trick" to the Ambleside community.

She claimed the college had promised when it took over that it would always ensure that Charlotte Mason's name would be used at the Ambleside site.

The college had made the application because it felt the four existing timber signs were "too small and of inappropriate design" to be noticed.

The new aluminium signs will be 2.7 metres above ground level and measure 1.3 metres by 1 metre.

The principal of St Martin's College, Chris Carr, said it was quite wrong for people to say that the college was acting in bad faith.

He said the college's governing body had decided to name the new library and learning resource centre - the biggest building to go up on the Ambleside campus - after Charlotte Mason.

" That is with the explicit objective of observing, recognising and celebrating the contribution which Charlotte Mason herself made to education and education in Ambleside."