Lydbury North protest plan over school axe threat

Campaigners will take to the streets of Lydbury North as part of a public protest aimed at saving the village's primary school from closure.

A Samba band will lead a the march ahead of a consultation meeting held by Shropshire Council officials at the village hall on Monday.

The march will start at Lydbury North Primary School at 6.10pm and finish at the village hall before the meeting starts at 6.30pm.

Organisers have claimed it is a chance to "make some noise" about the desire to keep the primary school open. They have also invited campaigners lobbying on behalf of other under-threat schools to join what will be the final consultation event held by Shirehall officials.

Meanwhile, Only Fools and Horses star John Challis has been invited to an assembly at Onny Primary School in Onibury on Tuesday as a thank you gesture after Mr Challis joined campaigners on the streets of Ludlow to boost the appeal.

Lydbury North and Onny are two of eight primaries across Shropshire threatened with closure by summer 2012 under council plans to deal with what it claims are falling pupil numbers. Parents and governors in Lydbury North have already argued their numbers are actually rising.

The Wakeman secondary in Shrewsbury is threatened with closure in July 2013.

Matt Williams, of the Living Lydbury campaign group, said: "This meeting is our chance to make our case and we are planning to make a lot of noise about it."

Assistant headteacher Diane Younger issued a warning on county education cuts at a tense and impassioned public consultation meeting in the Wakeman School hall, attended by 230 people last night.