PROTESTERS will take to the streets again over the threat to close schools.

Parents, pupils and staff at Prestwich Arts College are planning a march in Bury on Saturday, March 4.

Last week pupils from Derby, Broad Oak and Prestwich high schools stopped traffic in protest over closure proposals. After the executive committee deferred their decision, the schools staged meetings. Headteacher of Prestwich, Geoff Barlow held a 100-strong meeting on Tuesday along with the Save Our Schools group. Headteachers of all the schools initially included in proposals were due to meet councillors yesterday.

SOS spokesman Mikhil Karnik said: "It is important that the energy and enthusiasm that has come up in Prestwich now catches on in other schools. If that happens then we are potentially in a situation where the council will have to rethink."

Philips and Castlebrook high schools' heads attended Whitefield and Unsworth Area Board on Tuesday to seek assurances that their schools were not back under threat.

Deputy leader of the council, Coun Mike Connolly said: "We deferred the decision in light of further discussions, particularly around assurances about the future of the children who are at school now. This is a decision we only take once. It is so important, we have to get it right. The executive felt that we needed more information and needed to seek reassurance that the childrens education will not suffer."

John Gannon, of Castlebrook High, said the answer had left two schools with "much uncertainty".

Coun Derek Boden said he saw no reason why they would not arrive at the same conclusions.

Prestwich Arts College will hold a public meeting at 7pm on Wednesday to plan the march.