PARENTS are celebrating after a school facing closure won a temporary stay of execution.

Mothers and fathers cheered as the fate of St Paul's CE Primary School, Ramsbottom, was postponed because an independent committee could not reach a unanimous decision.

The school has been earmarked for closure because of falling pupil numbers.

But following the vote by members of the Schools Organisation Committee (SOC), Bury Local Education Authority cannot now press ahead with its proposals and the fate of the Crow Lane school lies in the hands of an independent schools' adjudicator.

If the school closes, the LEA plans to house pupils at nearby St Andrew's CE Primary School.

Parents and residents have campaigned to keep the school open since the plans to close it were revealed earlier this year.

Mother-of-four Irene Todd said: "We were delighted with the outcome of the meeting.

"We could not have asked for a better outcome and we all cheered!

"The fact the committee could not make a clear decision shows we've got a strong case."

The adjudicator is expected to report the final decision on the school's future within the next six weeks.

At the same meeting, the SOC voted to close St Mark's CE Primary School in Bury.

Pupils will be sent to St John's CE Primary.

Fishpool Infants and St Chad's CE Junior School in Bury will also merge into one primary school.