A telecom company boss has stood down as a governor of his former school and withdrawn his firm as a sponsor in its academy bid as it owes the school tens of thousands of pounds.

Gary Fawcett, managing director of Link Telecom, has stood down from the governing body of Greenhead High School, Keighley, after his firm sold the school contracts promising free mobile phones under its Safer Schools Campaign.

The Telegraph & Argus exclusively revealed yesterday that schools across Bradford and West Yorkshire which had signed up to the campaign were left owed huge sums of money after Saltaire-based Link Telecom went into administration.

Greenhead, which is set to become an academy in September, now no longer has Link Telecom as a co- sponsor, Bradford Council confirmed.

Instead, the Council and Bradford University, will now be the main partners.

A joint statement from the Council and the university said Link Telecom had agreed to drop out of the project “by mutual agreement”.

However, Mr Fawcett last night said: “I was not asked to stand down as a governor at Greenhead.

“I chose, given the circumstances and in the interests of probity, to temporarily stand down.

“Likewise, Link Telecom’s involvement in the new academy is in abeyance for the time being while the outstanding issues are resolved. Mine and Link Telecom’s commitment to Greenhead is as great as ever.”

Keighley MP Ann Cryer said she was concerned about the “damaging impact” the company’s withdrawal could have, particularly on the special school which is set to be built as part of Greenhead Academy.

Bradford Council and Bradford University, stressed the decision by Link Telecom to stand down as a co-sponsor would have “no impact” on the development of the academy.

In a joint statement Cindy Peek, Bradford Council’s deputy director for children and young people, and Bradford University’s deputy vice-chancellor, Geoff Layer, said: “The planning is on schedule and we have had excellent and constructive feedback from our community consultation.

“Progress with the building is also on track and we anticipate the academy will open on time in September.”