PARENTS have been left heartbroken after the final decision was taken to close a primary school.

An independent inspector upheld Bury Council's decision to close St Paul's CE Primary School in Ramsbottom which means pupils will have to move into nearby St Andrew's CE Primary School.

The schools adjudicator, Professor Philip Hunter, had to intervene after Bury Schools Organisation Committee (SOC) could not make an unanimous decision.

Professor Hunter claimed that there was no evidence to suggest that the pupils' education would suffer if the school closed, predicted numbers of youngsters wanting places there in the future appeared accurate, the financial savings for the Local Education Authority would be "indisputable", the roads at the children's new school were not dangerous and the proposal would in fact create better accommodation for them.

Parents and residents have campaigned to keep the school open since the plans to close it were revealed earlier this year.

Following the decision, Bury's council leader, Cllr John Byrne, said: "As you would expect, emotions always run high whenever there is talk of a school closure or amalgamation.

"However, the facts surrounding the council's decision have been given a fair and thorough airing."

Mother-of-four Irene Todd said: "We're absolutely gutted."