VILLAGE primary schools earmarked for closure and amalgamation are coming out fighting.

Five rural primaries are threatened under proposals which could also see the closure of Frodsham High School.

Dunham Hill Primary could close while there would be mergers uniting Alvanley with Manley and Kingsley St John's with Norley CoE.

Education chiefs say the Transforming Learning Communities (TLC) programme is necessary to tackle surplus places caused by a falling birthrate.

The plans stunned primary school headteachers and governors who say amalgamation was not discussed at summer consultation meetings.

And as Cheshire County Council education member Cllr David Rowlands admitted to shortcomings in the consultation process, communities were drawing up battle plans.

Kingsley parents have formed a 20-strong committee to fight for the village's 72-pupil school.

Committee member Lynn Waring, of Mansfield Road, said: 'We are 100% opposed - the school is at the heart of our community and the standard of education is excellent.

'Pupil numbers are not falling. We have petitions and posters around the village and are encouraging all parents to contact the LEA expressing their anger.'

Parent governor Paul Atkinson added that the school had doubled in size since fending off closure about 10 years ago.

Norley parent governor Kira Fayle said governors and parents would work together in fighting a merger, while Dun-

ham Hill chairman of governors Andrew Holloway added: 'Any cost savings will be outweighed by the potential social consequences.'

Isobel Jones, chairwoman of governors at Manley, said the school was not told of the plan until September 15 and is demanding more time to examine alternatives.

She said: 'This was a tremendous shock. There are no spare places at Manley and Alvanley, in fact they are over-subscribed.'

County councillor Gretta Cousins, chairwoman of governors at Alvanley, wants a feasibility study into the proposals.

Cllr Rowlands added: 'Clearly we have not got everything right and must learn from that; consultation could have been more effective.'