PARENTS of children at a well-established pre-school are fighting to keep it open, after they were told it could no longer operate on the site.

Hundreds of parents and former parents of Manor House Montessori School, based at the Stables on the Manor Farm complex in Bury Street, Ruislip, have signed a petition and have written to Hillingdon Council pleading with the authorities to keep it open.

The council is to take possession of the building at the end of term following the decision by the principal to resign.

The deputy principal, Angela O'Shea, 41, said she had asked in November last year if she could carry on running the school and had waited until recently to be told by the council it wanted the building back.

She said: "Why has it taken them eight months to tell me that when I could have been looking for somewhere else to go? They just haven't acknowledged me and it's so frustrating.

"Even if I found another premises now, I wouldn't be able to get it up and running by September, because the Ofsted process takes 25 weeks. I want to carry on running the school at the Stables temporarily until I find somewhere else to go.

"But the location of it is really important because about 80 per cent of our parents walk here.

"I'm not sure why the council doesn't want us to use the building any more, but I've been told it is planning to use it as an overspill kitchen for the Great Barn."

The school has been running for 17 years and currently has 34 children, with more signed up for September.

Steve Bunce, whose child attends the school, has written to the council to express his concerns.

In his e-mail he said: "You couldn't find a more ideal situation for a pre-school, so to hear that it could be turned into an over-flow kitchen for the Great Barn is a disgrace. If this is the case, it is another short sighted decision by Hillingdon Council."

Jean Palmer, director of planning and community services, said: "Given that the licence is being surrendered, the council has decided it will take the building into its own use and occupation so it will not be available for external use.''

The school is due to close on July 15 for the summer.