TWO sets of York parents today set off on a make-or-break trek to Westminster, each with a mission to succeed where the other fails.

It was a last-ditch attempt by parents and staff at Canon Lee to overturn the controversial decision to merge their school with Queen Anne.

This morning, members of both schools boarded the same train for London, where they hadappointments with Education Minister Estelle Morris .

While the contingent from Canon Lee was attacking the merger decision - made by the City of York Council amid a storm of protest last year - the group from Queen Anne went to defend it.

It was firm handshakes and smiles all round on platform 3 at York Railway Station before the two groups set off.

The head teacher of Canon Lee, Paul Wright, said: "We would like the minister to take a look at the city of York and give York the provision that it needs, and to look at the shortfall that the city has to work with, which is upwards this year of £10 million.

"York has a superb set of schools and it needs preserving. It has a high set of standards and we need to protect that. This is a good opportunity".

Christine Priestley, head of Queen Anne, said: "Our position is to make a personal representation about what we see as being the needs of the community, and we would hope it is the needs of the community that are paramount in any decision that is made.''

Canon Lee parent Don Derrett admitted Queen Anne's presence would make it harder to convince the minister, but said he bore no grudge.

He said: "We can see where Queen Anne are coming from. We have always known that they would back the decision to merge because they felt the alternative was for their school to close."

Although the two groups were on the same train, Sheila Evans, chair of the Queen Anne parents and teachers association, said they were not travelling together.

She said: "Canon Lee are against the merger but we are for it. In an ideal world we would all have liked to see nothing changed, but being realistic, a merger is the best option. But it has not been given much of a chance. We have got to make the best of it."

Don Derrett said: "We will be putting across our case as strongly as possible. Canon Lee has taken 10 years to get up to the standard it is now and our feeling is that that standard is under threat."

The final decision on whether to approve or reject the merger scheme effectively rests with Estelle Morris.

York MP Hugh Bayley, who is not taking sides on the issue, was due to be at both of today's meetings to make the introductions.

He said: "The minister has a hard decision but it will be helped by knowing what the parents think. Whichever way the decision goes, I hope all the parents will work together."

Vale of York MP Anne McIntosh said she would be supporting Canon Lee School.

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