PARENTS in the village of Bolton-on-Swale have won an ally in their fight to have Richmond School designated as the usual secondary education venue for their children.

North Yorkshire county council's Richmondshire area committee voted unanimously to back the campaign to replace Risedale Community College, Hipswell, as the official move-on school for youngsters from the village.

Parents say the village has much stronger social links with Richmond and the two secondary schools are equal distances from Bolton-on-Swale's St Mary's primary.

The primary is the only church school in the parish which is not linked to Richmond School, and most parents have already elected to get their children into Richmond School or the neighbouring St Francis Xavier Roman Catholic School