CAMPAIGNERS have lost their battle to safeguard a 40-year-old agreement allowing their children guaranteed access to Turton High School.

Adjudicator David Taylor has ruled against the objections lodged by parents, councillors, Belmont Primary School and Turton and Edgworth Primary School.

Protests were prompted by Bolton Council's decision to rip up the agreement giving children from Belmont and Edgworth the right to attend the high school.

Mr Taylor agreed with the council's stand to give preference to those living closest to the school under the Government's new School Admissions Code.

He said: "The council's arrangements are entirely consistent with the letter and spirit of the Code... in opening fair access and choice to parents as widely as possible and giving preference to more locally-based children."

However Mr Taylor said Bolton Council should review it's arrangements annually and have regard for community cohesion in North Turton.

Campaigners argued it was unfair to destroy the long-standing certainty of admission and to deny children the opportunity to attend the same high school as their friends.

If Turton is oversubscribed in 2008 two children from the class of just 12 at Belmont Primary School may not be able to attend the same school as their friends.

Headteacher of Belmont Primary School Chris Hoddle, said: "We have had over 30 years contact and liaison with Turton, there has been no contact with other schools and now the community links are going to be very different."

At Turton and Edgworth Primary School several children each year are likely to fail to gain a place at Turton school.

Chair of Governors at the school, David Knight, said: "There are one or two that live towards Darwen and it's a great shame they won't necessarily be able to go to the same school as their school mates."

Opponents added that Belmont would be cut off from the rest of North Turton, severing the strong links operating between villages in North Turton.

Coun Jean Rigby said although the decision would affect just a few children starting high school in September 2008 the community, especially in Belmont, would suffer.

She said: "Even though it's only so few children it's important because it affects the whole village.

"This is a very sad thing for Belmont because it is being cut off and children are being deprived of a very important part of their lives."

Children with siblings already at the school, or those with special needs, will also be given preference.

The council said retaining the policy would favour North Turton to the cost of disadvantaged children from deprived areas.