CAMPAIGNERS fighting to save two Prestwich high schools from closure or merger have issued a strong message to education bosses - hands off!

Liberal Democrat councillors have launched a campaign to get the local authority to leave Parrenthorn and Prestwich high schools alone, following a heated area board meeting last week.

As reported in the Guide, parents turned out in force to voice their concerns over the proposed closure or merger of schools in the borough under plans by Bury Council.

Headteachers of both Prestwich high schools, Geoff Barlow and Mick Fitzgerald, also attended the meeting to announce their determination to keep BOTH schools open.

The objections from parents were so strong that a special meeting of Prestwich Area Board has been arranged for Tuesday, December 13 at 7pm, to be held at Prestwich Arts College, in Heys Road.

The Lib Dem group launched their campaign on Saturday by taking to the streets of Prestwich to protest against the council's proposals.

Councillors Vic D'Albert, chairman of the area board, along with Andrew Garner and Ann Garner, handed out leaflets highlighting the issue and collected more than 200 signatures for a petition from shoppers in the Longfield Centre.

Coun Andrew Garner said: "The response was tremendous. Clearly many local residents are concerned that we could lose one of our schools.

"Despite freezing conditions, residents were keen to support the campaign. We have to make sure Bury Council knows exactly what local people feel about these potentially devastating proposals."

The proposals, aimed at addressing the problem of more than 2,000 surplus places by 2015, affect eight high schools in the borough, divided into four pairs: Parrenthorn and Prestwich; Castlebrook and Philips; Broad Oak and Derby; Elton and Tottington. The council is proposing to close one of the pair or amalgamate the two. If action is taken on each pair, it would be more than enough to cope with falling rolls, so the third option could be to take no action.

The consultation process is now underway and the council's executive committee is expected to make a final decision early next year. The changes are set to be implemented in September 2007.

Coun D'Albert said: "The Government talks about choice then seeks to remove it. They talk about quality then endanger it. Parrenthorn Technology College and Prestwich Arts College are two fine, popular schools that have both recently achieved specialist status. We should be using this opportunity to reduce class sizes and improve education, not threaten it."

Parent Mikhil Karnik, whose son goes to Parrenthorn, said people were "shocked and angry" about the proposals, which "came like a bolt from the blue".

He is calling for a borough-wide campaign and is urging people to get in touch with him at stopschoolclosures@yahoo.co.uk

Mr Karnik said: "The consultation period put forward is very short, not least as Christmas falls between. The aim of the council appears to be to rush this through so that opposition cannot be built. It has also been designed to pit school against school, so that any campaign would be divided from the start.

"All our schools are good schools serving their community, and our communities deserve to have them remain so. That is why we are building a borough-wide campaign to stop any school closure or merger."