CAMPAIGNERS fighting to keep a well-loved Rossendale nursery open presented a 3,000 signature petition to the man set to decide its fate and said: "Closure is not an option."

County Councillor Alan Whittaker, cabinet member for education, visited Bacup Nursery to receive the petition and talk to staff, governors, parents and pupils about options for its future.

He reassured parents that closing the nursery was not a 'done deal' and that many options were still being explored.

Mr Whittaker said: "The parents were very clear about their desire to retain Bacup Nursery but they also appreciated that we couldn't sit back and do nothing.

"I know there is a lot of local support to keep the nursery open just by the amount of coverage this has had in the media and the amount of letters I have received.

"My only interest is to try and make things better for pupils and staff but I appreciate that I won't be able to please everybody.

"No decision will be taken until autumn and even then there will be a set process to follow."

All options for the Cowtoot Lane nursery school suggest closure and a replacement nursery class which would only cater for four-year-olds.

The review has come about because there are just over 1,000 unfilled primary and nursery places in the borough.

Rossendale MP Janet Anderson said: "Replacing it with a nursery class would not improve the provision for local people in Bacup.

"In fact, it would make it significantly worse.

"We feel that one of the ways forward for the nursery school would be for it to combine with the local Sure Start to provide wrap-around care for all the families in Bacup."

As part of the process, parents are being consulted and a county council brochure has been distributed listing various options for the future.

The nursery, which has received £60,000 of investment in recent years to improve its grounds and building, was not given the option to stay open under any of the proposals.

Headteacher Lyn Rider said: "Staff and parents were devastated when we were told we would close.

"The parents have been really supportive and are determined to fight it. To them closure is not an option which has been highlighted by the amount of signatures that we have received on our petition.

"They want to do what they can to try to keep it open as this is the only nursery school in Bacup offering a quality nursery education."

Bacup Nursery School is more than 50 years old and has been attended by generations of the same family.

Former pupil Sam Aston, who plays Chesney Brown in Coronation Street, also joined the fight to save the nursery.