A petition to prevent the closure of a village primary school on the Powys-Shropshire border has drawn more than 850 signatures.

Churchstoke Community Primary School is one of four schools that have been earmarked for closure by Powys County Council.

The council's cabinet will decide whether to start the statutory process tomorrow (Tuesday, February 9).

More than 850 people have signed a change.org petition which launched two days ago calling for Powys County Council to "save our school, save our children, save our families and save our community".

There are currently 38 pupils enrolled at the school, with seven joining in September and four progressing to secondary school.

The "Save Churchstoke CP School Now - Urgent" petition claims there will be a "significant number" of children who will need to attend the school now that 28 houses have been built in Churchstoke, with a further 40 currently under construction. The petition said that another 60 houses are being planned to be built in the village.

Parents fear that if the closure goes ahead, it will have a negative knock-on effect on local amenities which work closely with the school such as the playgroup, village hall, care home and church.

The petition also claims that parents have been given a choice of four schools to send their children - but only one is in Wales.

Mother-of-one Rebecca Gotthardt, who launched the petition, said much of the village relies on the school and without it "there will be no community left".

"We were really shocked, annoyed and disappointed by the announcement," she said. "We think it's really unfair."

"It is hard to do a consultation in the middle of a pandemic, and everybody's mental health has been affected largely by it. I haven't stopped crying all week. It's not fair on the children, they have gone through so much already this year and to have that sprung on them.

"A lot of the parents have said that they will move out of the area. We moved so that my little girl can go to school here. Some parents have fought for a place at Churchstoke school for the additional help it offers.

"The school is such a massive thing why families want to move here."

Schools in Castle Caereinion, Llanbedr, Llanfihangel Rhydithon and Churchstoke could close at the end of August 2022 if the proposals are approved.

Cllr Phyl Davies, Cabinet Member for Education and Property, said: "These proposals have not been reached lightly but we have ensured that the best interest of the learners at these four schools were at the forefront of our discussions and decision-making.

"We need to ensure that we can give our learners the best possible start they deserve so it is important that we continue with our transformation plans for education and deliver our strategy."