Coronation Street's Nikki Sanderson has cast herself as the defender of her old school.

Nikki, 17, used to go to Affetside primary, which has been earmarked for possible closure by Bury council.

But Nikki, who plays Candice Stowe, vowed to help keep it open and has signed a petition calling on Bury council to drop closure plans.

The actress was contacted by worried campaigners, who wanted her to back their calls for the closure plan to be abolished.

She said she had no hesitation in signing the petition, as some of her family's friends still have children at the school, which was opened 123 years ago.

At present, Affetside has 49 pupils and education officers claim this is only 60 per cent capacity - and plan to make a final decision on April 9 following a consultation period.

A total of nine schools in Bury could be closed or merged under the council's proposals.

But Affetside is the only one that has been put forward for closure without it being amalgamated with any other school in the area.

Uncertainty

The school's supporters say that Affetside primary only has 49 pupils because the council has limited it to taking in only 10 each year. According to them, the school has suffered over the last decade, because it has constantly been the subject of closure reports.

Campaigner Ms Dawn Robinson-Walsh said: "There has been a lot of uncertainty over the school for years, which has certainly affected people.

"Many people have not sent their children there because they feared the disruption if the school has to be closed once their child has started.

"If people knew for sure that the school was not going to close, there would be many more people wanting to send their children there - the teaching is wonderful."

Bury council fears it will miss out on more than £600,000 this year because of unfilled school places. It hopes that by closing some schools there will be less empty places, which will mean missing out on less funding.

As well as closing Affetside primary school, Bury council has four other options: closing either St Andrew's CE or St Paul's CE primary school in Ramsbottom; closing either St John's CE or St Mark's CE primary school in Bury; merging Fishpool infant school and St Chad's CE junior school in Bury and merging Radcliffe infant and Radcliffe junior schools.

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