A THREATENED New Forest school sent its survival bid sky high on Saturday with a massive balloon protest against its possible closure.

The 108-pupil Langdown Infant School at Hythe is one of several which could close as a result of a review being carried out by Hampshire County Council's education officers.

The main option parents are being asked to comment on is the possibility of a merger with Langdown Junior School - but there was no doubt that those comments were unfavourable.

And Saturday's school fete, in aid of a new £1,750 interactive white board, was marked by the release of hundreds of green and red balloons into the bright blue sky.

"We want to let everyone know how much we value Langdown as a community school and the start it gives to the children who come here.

"Our head teacher Colin Stevens and his staff are doing an incredible job and that has been borne out by the Ofsted results the school has achieved," said chairman of governors Ian Herding.

Both he and governors' vice-chairman Simon Stanney were strongly against the merger and Mr Herding added: "A merger with a junior school would mean that a child starting school as a four-year-old would be going to school with 11-year-olds and that gap is immense.

"As far as I can see, the county has not come up with any legitimate reason for closure."

But Mr Stanney said: "We're beginning to think it is a done deal and the school will be closing whatever we say. We have heard that the county's architects have already started measuring up at the junioir school.

"But it is not simply the infant school which operates on this site. We have pre-school provision as well and nothing has beeen said about the future of that."

Meanwhile, the sun-drenched fete, with its raffles, face painting, bouncy castle, cake decorating and other activities, was sent along with a swing by the disco dancing ladies of its bric-a-brac stall and while the balloons went upwards, so did the proceeds.