PARENTS fighting to save one of Hampshire's oldest schools are hoping the battle could still be won after lobbying Parliament.

Ampfield Church of England School, near Romsey, was earmarked for closure in October last year after a slump in pupil numbers.

But parents, community leaders and school governors refused to give in and launched the Save Our School campaign.

More than 1,000 supporters signed a petition backing calls to keep the school open and campaigners say they just need more time to boost pupil numbers following a "leadership crisis" in 1993 that saw all but 23 children leave.

They now claim there are 11 children waiting to join Amp-field, and that a further 23 parents have pledged to send their youngsters, despite the threat of closure.

Campaigners are hoping the decision will be vetoed by an independent committee, one of the members of which is from the Church of England.

Yesterday a group of seven protesters, including parents and parent governors, took the battle to Westminster to lobby Romsey MP Sandra Gidley.

Campaigner Charlie Allen said: "I think it went really well and we came away feeling very positive We are completely confident that should the threat be lifted we can make this school viable once more."

Liberal Democrat MP Mrs Gidley: "The really sad thing about Ampfield is that everybody admits it went though a problematic period when parents took their children out in quite large numbers.

"The local education authority seemed to stand by and do very little.

"This review was not due for a little while and understandably a lot of people felt it was brought forward almost to kick a school while it was down.

"I think they should be given two or three years to build back up. They have such a committed team there now that they will show everybody what can be done."

AMPFIELD SCHOOL

In less than ten days' time, an independent committee will make another ruling on the controversial closure decision to close Ampfield School.

If just one member of Hampshire's Schools Organisation Committee vetoes the decision, it will go to an independent inspector, who will make a final, binding ruling.

Campaigners have high hopes for a veto because one of the representatives sitting on the board is from the Church of England.