PARENTS and teachers have won their fight to protect a tiny school from closure.

B&NES has decided not to go ahead with a proposal to close Walcot C of E Infant School, Bath.

There had been angry scenes earlier in the year when councillors discussed shutting the building because of its surplus capacity.

However, jubilant parents attended The Guildhall on Thursday, October 12, to hear councillors reject the idea.

A school statement read: "The staff, parents, governors and children are delighted at the decision of the council in voting to keep the school open.

"The decision demonstrates that the authority has confidence in the school and our future plans within the community.

"We would like to thank all the councillors who supported us, the many individuals and community groups who have expressed their support, the parents for standing by us, and in particular the pupils who have kept our morale high over the last 19 months."

DELIGHTED charity workers are to receive £260,000 from The Diana, Princess of Wales Memorial Fund.

'Send a Cow', based at Priston Mill, Bath, will receive the money over the next five years to fund work in Rwanda and Uganda.

It will be used to provide cows and goats for women struggling to rebuild their lives after surviving genocide and civil war.

Martin Meeke, general manager of the charity, said: "The lives of 6,000 people will be directly transformed by the provision of quality livestock and training.

"Milk from the cows will improve nutrition and provide an income.

"The benefits will be spread as recipients pass on the first-born female offspring of their animals to other poor farmers."

A POPULAR tourist attraction has offered a final treat for customers who visit one last time before it closes.

Rode Bird Gardens, near Bath, is offering free entry to all children aged 16 or under who visit between now and Sunday, October 29.

The attraction was put up for sale in July and it was hoped someone might come forward to carry on the business.

However, although several interested parties have come forward, nobody has yet offered to rescue the centre - therefore, it closes on Sunday

Director Sonia Glenn said: "The management, staff and the birds at Rode very much welcome all children and families for a final goodbye, and a grateful thank-you.

"Our memories are of joyful times, hard work of course, but mostly the happy laughter."

CONFERENCE organisers are turning to Bath as a popular alternative to London to host exhibitions.

More than 50 new sales contacts were made by the Bath Tourism and Conference Bureau at the recent Confer 2000 Exhibition in the capital.

Edwina d'Arcy, of BTCB, said: "We are very pleased in the level of interest shown in Bath and the surrounding area as a destination for conferences and events.

"London in particular is a key market for Bath and we are fast becoming the first choice for organisers looking for an alternative to the capital."