ONE of the biggest public meetings yet held by an under-threat school saw 200 adults and 60 children throng Wilden First.

Headteacher Joy White said parents, past pupils and the community came together to champion the school's "unique and special" strengths.

Under Worcestershire County Council's education review the Church of England village school may have to merge with Stourport First at the latter site.

But Mrs White said county officers were left in no doubt about the strength of feeling at the meeting, which ended with the children singing the school song Mighty Mighty Wilden.

"It was very heart-warming to see how well loved the school actually is, not only by parents but by the community at large." She added: "It wasn't just 'we want to save our school' - people asked some very searching questions."

Key reasons for retaining the school included its ties with All Saints Church, the benefits it bought to the community and fact children would not be able to safely walk to alternative schools from the village, according to Mrs White.

"Diocesan representative Mike Carter said that, unlike many church schools, we were one of the very few that actually used the church on a very regular basis and that was worth fighting for," said the headteacher.

"It's used every week as an extended classroom and we also invite other schools to join us."

She went on to say that villagers valued the school because it helped sustain facilities like the post office and the pub - which would "suffer greatly" if it closed.

"Parents pass the post office every morning and that's what keeps it alive," she stated.

Mrs White added that last Thursday pupils demonstrated it was not possible to walk safely to either Stourport First or Hartlebury First.

The review states children should be within walking distance of their first schools "where at all possible" and about 40 of the 160 Wilden First pupils live in the village.

"They walked from the school towards Hartlebury until the safe pavement area ended at Wilden Top Road to show it wasn't viable," said Mrs White.

"The police and county road safety officer have said that a walking bus to either is not recommended."