PARENTS and pupils have hit out at a decision by council bosses to close a village school.

Bolton Council's ruling executive has decided to press ahead with a move to close Scot Lane End Primary School in Blackrod.

It will shut at the end of the summer term, along with Westhoughton Community Primary School.

Education chiefs said surplus places and falling birth rates in both areas made the schools unviable.

Pupils from Scot Lane End, which has 15 surplus places, will move to Blackrod Church School in September.

But parents spoke of their anger and said the council had not listened to their views.

Carol Knowles, a governor and chairman of the parent teacher association, sent her daughter Kerry, now aged 12, and son Henry, aged eight, to the school on the strength of a recommendation, even though the family live in Westhoughton.

She said: "I'm appalled because this is a shining example of a village school and the children get lots of individual attention and care."

Scot Lane End, which opened in 1868, is classed as a rural primary school and last week schools minister Jim Knight said there should be a "presumption" against closing such schools.

Mrs Knowles said: "I wish they had delayed the decision by a year because, after what the Government said last week about rural schools, we might have had more of a fighting chance." Tracey Holland, of Station Road, Blackrod, whose son Reece, aged eight, attends Scot Lane End, said: "I'm not happy because he has been at this school for four years.

"I picked it because it is a nice little local school, rather than a big place where nobody knows the children."

Geraldine Barrow, of Pembroke Close, Horwich, whose sons Thomas, aged nine, and James, aged seven, attend the school, said: "Ever since we were threatened with closure a few years ago, they have been hell-bent on doing this. It has been done behind closed doors and we haven't had a proper chance to voice our feelings."

Jackie Bloor, of Crown Lane, Horwich, said: "It stinks. As soon as people got a whiff the school might shut, everybody left."

Her son, Alistair, aged nine, added: "I do not want to move. I really like the teachers here."

Jack Lee, aged 11, of Widford Walk, Blackrod, said: "I don't want the school to close. It's been my school since I was a three years old."

Shirley Farrington's husband, Graham, is a Blackrod parish councillor and he went to the school with his seven sisters and two brothers. She said: "It's terrible and I can't understand their reasoning."

Mrs Farrington, whose grandson Kieran Farley, aged 10, is at the school, predicted that the council would be planning to replace the school within three years because of new housing development.

The council says it has consulted parents and that there had been no written objections to the proposals.

Council chiefs did not listen to our objections, they say

FAMILY TRADITION: Shirley Farrington, with grandson Kieran Farley, says it is a terrible decision.

LOCAL FEEL: Tracey Holland, with son Reece, says nobody knows the children at a big school.

LONG STAY: Jack Lee, with mum Sharon, has been at the school since he was three years old.

GREAT TEACHERS: Alistair Bloor, with his mum Jackie, does not want to move schools.

APPALLED: Carol Knowles with her son, Henry, says children get lots of individual care