Warwickshire's Education Authority is going all out to recruit more teachers into local schools.

Education officers want to make sure the teacher shortage problems experienced throughout the UK do not occur in and around Stratford and other parts of Warwickshire.

A major publicity campaign to boost the county's pool of teachers has already started. The event was launched in Warwick Castle in February and resulted in hundreds of inquiries.

Jim Fitzgibbon, the assistant county education officer, said: "From that event 200 people showed an interest in returning back to the classroom and we had at least a further hundred telephone inquiries before and after the launch.

"We still want to attract more, however, and intend to stage another event at the Royal Show in July."

He said the next step was to get together with headteachers to draw up a programme to support new recruits with back-to-work courses. The education authority also intended to contact teacher training colleges to attract newly qualified teachers into the county.

Mr Fitzgibbon explained that those being targeted also included teachers who had left the profession after starting a family, those who had taken early retirement, or those who had left for other reasons.

The strategy is being formed in consultation with teachers, head teachers and representatives of church authorities.

Eric Wood, the county education officer, said: "Fortunately no school in Warwickshire has had to resort to closing or sending pupils home. However many schools have been under pressure to cover staff absence, particularly when there have been outbreaks of flu and colds."