COMMUNITY leaders in Steeple Ashton are pleading for help to keep the former village primary school building in use.

The last pupils left St Mary's Primary School on April 2, sparking a campaign by residents to retain the 100-year-old Victorian building for the community.

Members of the school's working party said this week there is a "desperate" need for help after their initial business plan suffered a major setback.

Villagers are pinning their hopes on a village shop setting up in the building, with early suggestions a museum could be in the pipeline.

Problems centre on the need to meet the building's running costs and retain the facility for educational use, in case a school can one day be restored to the village.

Working group member Rosemary Brett Green told the Wiltshire Times they were disappointed after the Wiltshire Rural Music School decided not to follow up plans to use the building as a temporary base.

She said: "Sadly for us the WRMS has found that its present needs can be met in their current premises, so that is back to the drawing board for the working party.

"We are hopeful that someone has a marvellous business idea and is just looking for our lovely building to make it work.

"A venture that provided work or training for young people with disabilities or learning difficulties would be an ideal solution to meet our needs and provide sufficient rent to help meet the running costs of the school."

A joint decision to close the 22-pupil school was made by Wiltshire County Council and the Diocese of Salisbury.

West Wiltshire district councillor Virginia Fortescue, who lives in the village and represents the Summerham ward, said they had been dealt 'one body blow after another'.

"It would be a huge loss to the village if we could not keep the building in use as we have lost so much already.

"The publican is moving back to France in a year's time so that is an unknown quantity. The church is struggling as we don't have an incumbent. The diocese has said they will not give us one for three years so the parish is being denied."

Campaigners hoping to open a shop by Christmas believe a combination of grants and community support will help bankroll the long-awaited project.