Two Medway primary schools are to close, but one has been saved.

There were mixed emotions at meeting of Medway Council's Cabinet on Thursday after members announced their decision to keep St Peter’s Infant School open but to go ahead with the closure of two other schools.

Parents and staff from Ridge Meadow Primary School and St John’s Infant School recoiled in horror as members voted in favour of closing the schools, which are both in Chatham.

The issue is one of falling roll numbers, but that cut no ice with devastated parents.

Diane Furlong, a parent governor for Ridge Meadow, burst in to tears when the decision was announced.

She said: “I am totally disgusted with the outcome. I hope they can sleep at night because I won’t be able to.

“I have three children aged seven, five and my youngest starts nursery in a week. I’ve got no options. I’ve phoned around all my local schools and I can’t get them into the same school. I’ve tried and I can’t do it. How they expect me to be in two places at one at 9am in the morning is beyond me.

“The school will keep fighting.”

Sam Whittington, a campaigner for St John’s Infant School, said: “We are devastated, I can not begin to put into words how sick I feel. We will fight it every step of the way and we will look into legal matters now.”

But Cllr Les Wicks, who holds the children's services portfolio for Medway Council, said: "St John's and Ridge Meadow did not have the numbers and the future does not look good from that point of view."

While parents and staff dealt with the devastating blow, campaigners from St Peter’s Infant School kept a dignified silence as it was announced their school will remain open.

Speaking outside the St George’s Centre the head of St Peter’s, Nicole Caulfield, said: “We are delighted that councillors have visited and listened to our reasoned arguments. We’re very sad for St John’s and Ridge Meadow and we hope they will continue to fight on and hopefully they might be successful at a later stage.

“We have an event planned for tomorrow at the school between 1.30pm and 3pm to celebrate the fact we have got out Eco Green School flag award so I suspect it will take on a dual celebratory purpose now.”

* More on this issue as it develops.