STUDENT parents are making a final plea to university bosses after an influential committee recommended their nurseries be closed.

STUDENT parents are making a final plea to university bosses after an influential committee recommended their nurseries be closed.

Mums and dads have just days left to campaign against the University of the West of Scotland's plans to shut the child-care facilities at Paisley and Hamilton.

The Evening Times has now learned members of the university's policy and res-ources committee voted in private last week to close the facilities.

It is understood parents at all campuses, which includes Ayr and Dumfries, are to be issued with child-care vouchers instead.

Students are angry they were not told about the committee's decision, which will go before the University Court meeting in Hamilton next Tuesday for a final ruling.

If the closures go ahead they would affect more than 100 children and lead to 30 workers losing their jobs.

Campaigners are being backed by Paisley North MSP Wendy Alexander.

She said: "I greatly regret that a closure recommendation appears to have been made without parents being heard at the meeting."

Student mum Melissa Manson, whose three-year-old son Magnus attends the Paisley site, said: "We are urging them to reconsider. Child-care vouchers won't work for many parents as they might struggle to find suitable alternatives."

Campaigners want the university to consider using space in the Paisley student union or a former printing section as alternative sites.

A university spokesman said the recommended option under consideration was "not a withdrawal of support, but a different way of providing it".