Schools tell BBC about 'astronomical' repair bills as 25-year PFI contract heads into meltdown

Stoke-on-Trent schools are locked into a multi-million pound PFI contract.

The agreement is due to end in October , when schools fear the private firm will walk away.

42 of the 88 schools involved are now withholding payments to the contract.

BBC News has been investigating the row for more than a year, using Freedom of Information requests and analysing documents.

Stoke-on-Trent City Council says it will need to "reprioritise" work not already agreed and target repairs.

PFI deals allow for money to be held back from private contractor when something isn't fixed quickly, or part of a school is out of use.

BBC News finds no money has been passed on to schools for contract failures over last 25 years .

Transform Schools (Stoke) Limited said the schools had been maintained "in accordance with the contract", adding that many of the school buildings were relatively old when it took over responsibility. It said "all parties are working together to deliver the maintenance works by the contract expiry date", adding that the schools were involved in the sign-off process and it was unaware of any dispute between the council and the schools and "unaware of widespread issues with quality". Additional reporting by Hope Rhodes ..