FURIOUS parents last night declared that they would fight any attempts to close a popular nursery school in Darlington.

Senior councillors have approved a six-week consultation period over the possible shutting down of the Eastbourne and Heathfield nurseries next April.

The move is part of plans to create foundation stage departments at Dodmire Infant and Heathfield Primary schools, where intake from the respective nurseries is high.

The foundation stage is the statutory curriculum for children aged three to five. The Government is keen for youngsters to complete it at infant or primary schools before moving on.

If no objections to the nursery closures were received during consultation they would be shut, but parents in Eastbourne have vowed to battle to keep their facility.

Susan Bleasby, whose three-year-old son attends the nursery, said she would be launching a petition next week.

"The teachers are going to lose their jobs, the parents are very angry about it and we don't want to see it close," she said.

"Every parent is very upset and, hopefully, if the council sees how much feeling there is about this, something might be done."

Darlington Borough Council believes the closures are appropriate, particularly because Dodmire Infant School has a falling roll and increased space. Part of the building could be developed in future to accommodate foundation classes.

Officials are hoping that staff affected will be offered work at the local primary schools.

At a cabinet meeting last night, council leader John Williams said he was "quite sure that residents will welcome the re-location a few hundred yards away to a better building".

He said the closure of Heathfield nursery made sense because most of the children went on to reception classes at the primary school.

* Plans to close Sadberge Primary School, in June 2005 were also approved. Pupils will attend the £3m Rural East Darlington School, in Middleton St George.