TWO Kidderminster first schools both under threat of merger have launched campaigns to fight for their future.

The "We Love Lea Street" action group has pledged to do all it can to block the proposed merger of Lea Street First with nearby St George's and St Mary's first schools.

And parents at St Barnabas First have united to derail the plan to combine it with Marlpool First.

Worcestershire county councillor for St Chad and Lea Street First school governor Mike Oborski stressed he did not want any of the three schools to close.

And he vowed the action group would organise a "full-scale campaign" which will "lobby everybody in sight" to secure Lea Street First's future.

Mr Oborski said: "It's a good school, it's a happy school and it's got potential. There's new housing coming on the cattle market site and it seems a particularly wrong time to think about closing it.

"It would give parents an intolerable distance to travel."

Parents, residents and friends of the school are welcome at the group's first meeting in the school hall on Wednesday at 2.30pm.

Meanwhile the "Parents 4 St Barnabas" action group is fighting for the "educational choice and religious choice" offered by the Church of England first school.

Group chairman Nigel Knowles said St Barnabas was "completely full" and the county council proposals had put expansion on hold.

"Prior to the review, plans were ready to go to build two extra classrooms. The PTA had raised £10,000," he said.

Mr Knowles added the group would distribute petitions and try to enlist the support of "prominent people" including Wyre Forest MP Dr Richard Taylor and the Bishop of Worcester.

Both Mr Oborski and Mr Knowles said their respective schools had excellent Ofsted reports.