A RURAL school with no pupils will close.

Members of Northumberland County Council's cabinet approved plans on Tuesday to close West Woodburn First School following a four-week consultation it held up until April 9.

The school currently had no pupils and there were none registered for September's intake, meaning the decision to close was unanimous among members of the cabinet.

During the consultation, the council had received just one representation about the proposed closure - from a member of the public who had no obvious to the school, claimed Coun. Wayne Daley, the cabinet member responsible for children's services.

Coun. Daley said: "There are no children registered to attend in September 2020 and those children living in the catchment area have elected to move to other schools."

Coun. John Riddle, the ward member for Bellingham, said he was sad to support the decision to close the school, but said it was not viable to keep an empty school running.

"As the local member, I have obviously got a few small schools in my patch but I think Northumberland County Council has bent over backwards to keep West Woodburn school going," said Coun. Riddle.

"There was considerable outcry originally when we talked about a reorginisation of schools but, unfortunately, parents have voted with their feet and many take their children to Bellingham and one of two take their children out of the area."

Northumberland County Council agreed to invest an additional sum of £26,000 to support school transport to children in the area.