PARENTS demonstrating against the decision to build a community college in Skelton have asked the local MP to take up their cause.

The multi-million pound building will replace Freebrough College, which serves the Skelton, Brotton and Loftus areas and has sites in each of the communities.

Councillors have agreed the plan in principle, but parents from Brotton and Loftus say Skelton is not central enough and yesterday they handed a 358-name petition to Ashok Kumar, MP for Middlesbrough South and East Cleveland.

A falling school roll means that a single-site school has to be built in order to attract investment. A study for the local education authority (LEA) at Redcar and Cleveland Borough Council found that given transport and building constraints Skelton would provide the best location.

But Kath Taylor, whose child attends the Brotton site, said those against locating the school in Skelton had plenty of support.

Yesterday, she gathered with other parents at the Brotton site to hand the petition to Dr Kumar.

She told him: "It cannot be right to rip the hearts out of the communities of Brotton and Loftus.

"One major issue is transport and I would say that the issue of our children's safety on the way to school is paramount.

"We've shown that there is support for our campaign, but really it is the tip of the iceberg of public feeling."

Dr Kumar said he would make sure the petition was sent to the LEA.

He said: "Like everyone, I want to see the new Freebrough College succeed.

"The move to a single site will be important to this success, and I want to see that this move meets with the approval of both the parents and the local communities in the college's catchment areas."

Council leader David Walsh said the council should have an accurate assessment of how much money would be available for the school in the coming weeks.

When that was known the authority would have a better idea of the shape and size of the school and a final decision on where it is to be located could be made.

He said support for the Skelton site had been shown at a recent public meeting attended by parents.