TWO threatened New Forest schools have stepped up their fight for survival with extra petitions to Hampshire County Council.

Fawley Infant School and Manor Infant School at nearby Holbury have both won the support of New Forest East MP Julian Lewis for petitions which he is handing on to Hampshire County Council's education boss Don Allen.

Mr Allen is the county's executive member for education and faces the mammoth task of deciding whether any schools should close following the completion of an infant and junior school survey in the Hythe and Fawley areas.

One of the options at Fawley is closure, with pupils from its present catchment area moving to Blackfield Infant School.

At the Manor there is the possibility that it would be absorbed into Holbury Junior

School.

The county council say that a decreasing birth rate has brought about reduced pupil numbers and created vacant places at the schools.

But as their fight for survival continued, Dr Lewis said: "I have said all along that there should be no need to lose excellent Waterside schools because of so-called surplus places."

He added that he would be pressing for the continuation of all these schools and called for the consultation process to be speeded up.

"I have made no secret of the fact that I am upset at the blight being cast over the Waterside schools and hope that the consultation process will be accelerated so that this shadow can be lifted as soon as possible.

"After the threat of Dibden Bay, this is the biggest issue facing my constituency and I will continue to let Hampshire County Council know my feelings on it."

He also urged parents and governors to continue their campaigns and Doug Eaglen, a governor at both the Manor and Fawley, said: "The resolve at both schools has got stronger as time has gone on and no one is giving up the fight.

"Everyone is determined to resist any attempted closure and both school groups have had their confidence boosted by all the support they are receiving from their communities."