Parents and supporters of closure-threatened schools in Shropshire today said they were disgusted and appalled that councillors were refusing to give them more time to save them.

Yesterday Shropshire Council turned down pleas to grant extra time for the Wakeman Secondary School in Shrewsbury and Maesbury and Stiperstones Primary Schools to build up plans.

Today campaigners for each of the three schools spoke of their concern they were not being given more time.

After the meeting parents of Maesbury Primary School pupils sent a statement to the council which read: “Parents who attended the Shirehall on May 12 for a debate with councillors were disgusted by not getting more time for saving Maesbury Primary School.”

Headteacher Rosemary Finney said she was still pursuing avenues to save the school.

She said: “Parents arrived back at school feeling quite cross and agitated.”

Joyce Barrow, a Shropshire councillor and supporter of Maesbury, said: “I am deeply disappointed that extra time hasn’t been given to the school to put a solid proposal together before the next cabinet meeting.

“The commitment shown by the governors of the school under such pressure has been exceptional, along with the support of the headteacher, parents and wider community.”

Campaigners now have less than five weeks before the end of a consultation which the council will use to make its final decision at a meeting on July 20.

Last week the schools were offered lifelines of just six weeks as the council moved into the second phase of its closure consultation.

Wakeman parent governor Ruth Exelby, who addressed the full council yesterday, said she was “absolutely appalled” that it had not agreed to defer the item further.

“It is so undemocratic. They have not listened at all. Our case has fallen on deaf ears,” she said.

Wakeman headteacher Karen Moore said: “We are fighting very strongly. We will pursue every avenue that there is .”

David Jackson, for Stiperstones school, pleaded for extra time so the school could present cabinet with the “perfect” proposal for it to become a federation. He said he was disappointed.

By Chrissy Symmons