AN angry dad whose children attend a closure-threatened rural school has vowed to fight the plans tooth and nail.

Tosside Primary School, which recently received a glowing report from Government inspectors, has only nine pupils.

But funding for schools with very small numbers of children is being reduced by the Government.

County councillors have given the go-ahead for a consultation exercise into the possible closure of the tiny Gisburn Forest school.

Mick Hudson, of Nelson Street, Low Moor, Clitheroe, whose son William, 10, and daughter Lydia, 7, attend the school, said closure would be a "crying shame."

His eldest son, Lloyd, left the school last year to attend Bowland High School, Grindleton.

He moved his three children to the school, run by head teacher John Green and his deputy, Judith Sowter, from a Clitheroe primary school in December, 1996, and said they hadn't looked back since.

"William has a memory retention problem and has come on leaps and bounds since he went to Tosside," he said.

"As soon as I walked in, I knew it was the place for my kids. There is such a friendly atmosphere and the pupils are happy and thriving.

"It's a crying shame that they're talking about closing these small schools.

"They should be encouraging people to use them.

"It would be far easier for me to send my kids to school in Clitheroe, but in the two years that my children have attended Tosside the improvement has been incredible."

Mr Hudson said he would be talking to other parents to see what action could be taken to prevent closure.

Governors have written to education chiefs claiming the school is very important to the well-being of Tosside and they will strongly oppose closure plans. They are being backed by Ribble Valley councillor Colin Bacon, who represents the scattered Tosside community.

He said: "No decision on closure has been made as yet. Everything is up in the air.

"But if the school is under threat I will be supporting the governors in any attempt to keep it open."

Education chiefs have acknowledged that the nearest alternative Lancashire school for Tosside pupils is five miles away and, if the school closes, most parents are likely to send their children to schools in North Yorkshire.

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