It was not all bad news for school protestors this week as plans to close Halesowen C of E Primary School were dropped by the council.

Campaigners were jubilant at news the High Street school will stay because Dudley Council has not got funding to remodel Hasbury C of E - where pupils would have transferred to.

But this is only a stay of execution of the axe - as the council vowed to work towards getting funding for plans and to move the right of way which passes through Hasbury C of E site which needs to be moved for proposals to go ahead.

Deputy headteacher Joy Howell said the school was delighted at the news.

She said: "We feel like David having beaten the Goliath of the council, we are absolutely euphoric. At last they have seen sense."

Chairman of governors Rebecca Horton said: "Everyone put in a tremendous amount of time and effort and it has finally paid off - we won."

Cabinet member for education councillor Liz Walker said she "regretted" making the decision to save the school, which was partly taken because the C of E has representatives on the Schools Organisation Committee, which would have meant it would probably have been turned down anyway.

She said: "It will mean children continue to be educated in a small under-funded school and this is not in the best interests of the children or the community. As the number of children attending Halesowen primary schools continues to fall, the position of the school will become ever more precarious and I believe we will have to review the decision in the future."

Cllr Bob James, who supported protestors, said: "The only way to ensure the school's lasting future is for more people to send their children there."

Plans to build a multi-million pound school to replace Halesowen and Hasbury C of E schools were dropped when the council failed to get government funding and downgraded to the closure of Halesowen C of E and remodelling of Hasbury C of E to take on pupils.