PARENTS, grandparents and members of a small community decamped to County Hall, armed with banners, whistles and microphones to stage a protest against the proposed closure of their village school.

The small band of campaigners from Sherburn Hill took their cause to County Hall, in Durham, to lobby councillors attending Durham County Council’s monthly meeting.

The authority is considering a proposal to close the school site in Sherburn Hill, which has just 45 children on the roll.

A decision on whether to close the building at the end of this school year is due to made by cabinet members next month.

If it goes ahead, all pupils at Sherburn Primary School – created in 2015 after an amalgamation of the schools in Sherburn Hill and Sherburn Village – would be taught in the same building.

The council says maintaining both sites is no longer in the best interests of staff and pupils, and a reduction in the number of pupils has put “significant pressure” on the school’s budget.

But members of the community fear the loss of the school will have a huge impact on the small village, which has lost a number of facilities in recent years.

Around 10 people turned out for the protest, with banners which had been made by children in the village, chanting “save our school, save Sherburn Hill.”

Resident Alison Curtis, who attended the school as a child and now has a granddaughter who is a pupil, said: “Our banner says it all – the school is the heart of our community and without it we don’t have anything.

“If we lose the school people will stop moving to Sherburn Hill.”

Their campaign has been backed by Durham MP Roberta Blackman-Woods.

Councillor David Hall, the member for Sherburn, said: “Sherburn Hill is a small village with a big heart with the primary school at its centre.

“Residents are rightly challenging proposals where all sides want what is best for the children’s education.

“I fully support that and their request to retain the whole site for the community’s use and for proper transport arrangements for the children should the worst happen and the school site close.”

Chairman of Durham County Council Cllr Bill Kellett, who also represents Sherburn, acknowledged the protest at yesterday’s meeting.

He added: “I would like to point out theses proposals are not on today’s agenda but will be considered by cabinet in due course.”