PARENTS fighting to save a village primary school from closure have demanded a judicial review.

Members of the Save Affetside School action group have asked the High Court in London to review the decision to close the primary school on the Bolton and Bury border.

The group has also asked the Government's Department for Education and Skills to investigate the process surrounding the closure decision made by Bury Council's Schools Organisation Committee.

The action group said the Bury education authority produced fresh evidence at organisation committee meetings, but the school campaigners were not allowed to do the same.

Other reasons they believe there should be a review are that assumptions about surplus places at the school were incorrect and that the closure was never discussed at a full Bury Council meeting.

The Schools Organisation Commmittee, which includes council representatives, school governors and church leaders, voted unanimously in favour of closure in July this year. The school is due to shut next summer.

Action group campaigner Dawn Robinson-Walsh, said: "We are still determined to stop the school from closing and feel cautiously optimistic. We were keen to pursue the only two courses of action available to us.

"Some parents did take their children out of the school last term, but the majority of parents, governors, teachers and the children want to carry on the campaign."