Middle school campaigners in Northumberland reacted with fury yesterday to claims that supporters of a switch to two-tier education are afraid to speak out because they feel intimidated and bullied.

County council education chiefs say messages posted on a new website launched by a group in favour of scrapping the current three-tier schools system show that supporters are reluctant to make their views known publicly.

Yesterday members of the Northumberland Education Action Group (NEAG) - which is campaigning to save middle schools - branded the accusations as `absolute nonsense' and questioned why the local education authority appears to be promoting the views of its rival pressure group.

The Go2 group was set up by a number of first school heads in Northumberland who back the controversial £650m reforms, which would result in the closure of 44 middle schools.

They were worried the well-organised parental opposition groups were dominating the debate and a `silent majority' of parents in favour of the plans were not being heard.

Teachers quoted anonymously on the Go2 website claim two-tier supporters feel intimidated to back the reforms. One first school teacher said they were ``reluctant to come out due to the risk of being bullied and ridiculed by the protest groups".

Another said: "Anyone who speaks in favour of the proposals is treated as the enemy and bullied into submission. What kind of debate is that?"

Yesterday, Blyth parent and NEAG vice-chair Fiona Wilson said: "We welcome the Go2 group and are interested in hearing their views on the education debate. However, we believe it represents headteachers and teachers who have a lot to gain from moving to two-tier, rather than parents.

"Talk of intimidation, bullying and ridicule is an absolute load of nonsense."

A county council spokesman said: "We are not trying to promote the Go2 group or its website, but are simply commenting on messages being posted there."

The authority is in the process of holding 23 area committee meetings and information roadshows, as well as a telephone poll and questionnaires, to gauge public opinion before making a decision on whether to switch to a two-tier system.