A PLEA to save a Pendle primary school from closure fell on deaf ears at County Hall.

Education bosses decided last month that Rainhall Road Community School, Barnoldswick, will close next summer despite a lengthy campaign by parents and staff to stop the closure.

A motion by West Craven Liberal Democrat County Councillor David Whipp to halt the closure process was backed by his party and the Tories but defeated by the ruling Labour majority after a debate during the full meeting of the council on Thursday.

Afterwards Coun Whipp said: "It's an on-going battle and I think people realised that although we lost the fight we will go on with the campaign.

"I think parents are confident the county council's grounds for closing Rainhall Road are very weak."

Education bosses said they had taken Rainhall Road's falling roll, less than 60 pupils are in a school that can hold 140, and poor tests results into account in making the decision to close it.

Objectors to the closure have until the end of next month to lodge their protest with the education authority. The independent school organisation committee, which represents parents and various education groups, will decide the fate of the school on January 12. If the five groups cannot reach a unanimous decision an arbitrator will have the final say-so on behalf of the Education Secretary.