AROUND 1000 angry parents marched against Glasgow City Council's plans to close 25 primary schools and nurseries.

AROUND 1000 angry parents marched against Glasgow City Council's plans to close 25 primary schools and nurseries.

Tommy Sheridan was among those who paraded from George Square through the city centre on Saturday to show their opposition to the controversial plan.

Parents say it will split up communities and their children will have to travel further to school.

The city council says the plan, which is out for consultation, is necessary to tackle falling school rolls and crumbling buildings. It has pledged that the £3.7million saved will be put back into education.

Mr Sheridan said: "These parents and children deserve 100% support. The case for the closure of these schools and nurseries is simply ridiculous.

"What we need is smaller class sizes and better pupil-to-teacher ratios.

"And £3.7million is a drop in the ocean. If this were an ailing bank they would find the money to save it - we need the same attitude for schools."

The marchers, led by pipers, waved banners, shouted "save our schools" and blew whistles. Some parents even donned school ties and shirts.

One mum on the march was Nicola Rathmill, 35, from Mayhill, who has one son, Ross, 5, at Wyndford Primary School. Her other child Ryan, 3 is due to start next year.

If the plans go ahead her kids will have to go to Parkview Primary in Summerston from August.

She said: "If they close our school we've got nothing. The proposals are totally ridiculous. The other school is 1.5 miles away.

"We are adamant they are not getting our schools."

Another angry mum on the march was Shakeela Nadeem, 32., who specifically chose Bellahouston Primary for her three children.

She said: "If this school closes I will not send them to Ibrox, which is where they will go. I chose Bellahouston because of its multi-cultural reputation and it has the best results."

Grandmother Catherine Wotherspoon, 56, from Govanhill, marched to object to the closure of Victoria Primary and Nursery in Govanhill.

Pupils will transfer to either Annette Street Primary or Cuthbertson Primary, depending on where they live, while nursery children will go to Govanhill Nursery.

Catherine said: "There will be 60 nursery places lost and they do not take that into account. They will split the kids up by sending them to two different schools and it's going to disrupt their education."

One of the organisers, lecturer Anthea Irwin, 36, from Maryhill, said: "It's really just a case of reminding councillors that they represent the people. We have voted for them and there is very strong feeling that this is not acceptable."