SHADOW Foreign Secretary William Hague has given his backing to parents campaigning to stop the closure of Nynehead Primary School.

Mr Hague learned about the protest in a meeting with Mark Formosa, the Conservative Parliamentary candidate for Taunton Deane.

Somerset County Council is considering merging Nynehead with Oake and Bradford Primary School.

Mr Hague said: “I support Mark Formosa’s campaign to save small schools from closure.

“Bigger doesn’t mean better. Smaller class sizes should be the priority on education, not penny pinching.

“It’s disappointing that the county council is planning this closure at a time when rural life is under threat in so many other ways, with the closures of post offices and the threats to doctors’ surgeries.”

Mr Formosa said he hoped Mr Hague’s words would boost the parents.

He added: “I hope it will give a boost to them to know that they have the full support of influential national politicians such as William Hague, and that they will be encouraged to continue their battle to stop this unjust closure proposal.”

Somerset County Council is consulting over the future of Nynehead due to falling pupil numbers there and at Oake and Bradford.