I WAS delighted to read of Bury Council's enlightened initiatives to encourage parents to accompany their children to school on foot (Bury Times, Feb 8).

I have always said that, as a parent, I would like to walk my child to school. However, if Bury Council decide to go ahead and close Affetside school, then the children would no longer be able to do this.

The next closest school is 1.7 miles from my home and, living in Affetside, we do not have pavements. My child and I, accompanied by our baby in a pram, would have to wend our way along unlit, winding country roads, hopefully arriving unscathed after negotiating hairpin bends and 70mph de-restricted stretches of road!

It does not make sense to me that Bury Council in one breath are encouraging parents to walk their children to school, while in the next they are attempting to close a successful school with a dedicated staff and happy children. One of the arguments often used against small, rural schools is that the cost of educating each child can be higher than the average amount spent on a child in an urban area.

We in Affetside do not want any more for our children than other children get in Bury. However, if the council are trying to ensure that every citizen and child of Bury receives an "average" slice of the cake then so be it.

In that case we in Affetside would like an "average" pavement for our children and elderly to walk along; an "average" road (ours is crumbling at the edges); sufficient street lighting to enable our children to attempt to walk to a school as our bus service runs only once per hour and doesn't go to the nearest school; and an "average" playground for our children to play in, like our neighbours in Hawkshaw, Tottington and Ainsworth. At the moment, Affetside children are allowed to play in the school yard, but if it closes then they will not even have that!

With the exception of the weekly visit from the bin men, we in Affetside have none of the services and facilities which others in the borough take for granted and rightly expect. If Bury Council take away Affetside school, we will be left with nothing at all and our council tax will be doing nothing to support our community.

We do not want icing and a cherry on top of our slice of the "cake", but if our school closes we will not even be left with a crumb! Our children will then be sent to fill up schools elsewhere in Bury, which may then be over-crowded as a consequence.

I would welcome any councillor to join me and my child on a walk to our next nearest school and bring their child or grandchild with them.

MRS J. WILCOCK,

Birtles Cottage,

Watling Street,

Affetside.