Parents stage sit-in protest over school closure plans

PARENTS have occupied a North Lanarkshire primary school threatened with closure.

Four women are staging a "sit- in" to protest against the closure of St Matthew's Primary in Wishaw.

They entered the school yesterday afternoon as other parents arrived to collect their children.

One of the protesters, Helen Lamb, 27, who has two children at the school, said: "We want the school to stay open and we are hoping this will make the council change its mind.

"We have sleeping bags and plenty of food and are going to stay for as long as possible."

Carrie-Anne Morrison, whose daughter Reagan is in Primary 1 at the school, added: "Reagan has really bad epilepsy and I am worried about her having to go to another school further away.

"I live two minutes from St Matthew's and can be there very quickly if something happens.

"Closing the school is not fair on the kids. Reagan is heartbroken about it."

A spokesman for North Lanarkshire Council said: "We are arranging to meet the parents to discuss their actions with a view to resolving the situation."