PARENTS from two village schools threatened with closure have vowed to unite to build the best possible future for their children's education.

At a public meeting, last week, about proposals to close Eldon Lane and Dene Valley Primary Schools, families promised to work together to ensure the children have a bright future.

As part of a county-wide education shake-up, Durham County Council is looking to close the two primaries and create a new school on a new site, which would be open for community use.

Both schools have surplus places and the buildings need repairs, which the council believes could cost hundreds of thousands of pounds in the next decade.

Many parents are fighting the proposed merger saying their children are settled and like to attend a small community school.

Dr Norman Reed, senior policy officer, said: "Both schools have more than 25 per cent surplus places and that decline is expected to continue.

"The cost of maintaining old buildings and adapting them to meet required standards for such as disabled access will be high.

"We feel a new, purpose-built school will be more cost effective, meaning more money will go on the children than the windows and roof."

Some parents, and school staff, backed the proposal seeing it as an exciting opportunity for the area and a way to bring the community together.

Fiona Callaghan, manager of SureStart in Dene Valley, said: "I see an opportunity, through Sure Start's possible involvement in a new site and the proposed nursery, to encourage more parents to introduce children to early learning from three and four-years-old."

Parents were urged to contact the council with their views on the proposals and say where they would like to see any new school built.

Many parents expressed their dismay at the consultation meeting being held at King James Community College in Bishop Auckland, as they had difficulty getting to the venue.

Council officials said they usually opted to host such meetings in schools and didn't want to favour either primary, but promised to try to find a more suitable venue in future.