WORRIED parents say plans to close two Newport nurseries before their replacement gets the go-ahead are premature.

Mother of three Sally Harrhy and her husband, Owain, from Hertford Place, Newport, are determined to fight the closures of Rockfield and Fairoak nurseries in St Julians until a replacement is confirmed.

Her two eldest children, Jessie, ten, and David, six, went to Rockfield, and her youngest, Jack, two, is due to start in September.

The council's current plan is to close Rockfield nursery this September and transfer children to Fairoak nursery.

When a replacement for the Durham Road schools opens in the Glebelands area, scheduled for September 2008, Fairoak will also close. Children will then be shared among the new Glebelands site and other local schools.

But the Glebelands schools have not been granted firm permission, and have a 15-year history of delays, set-backs and strong local opposition. Mrs Harrhy said: "Our biggest fear is that the Glebelands school will be delayed or won't get planning permission."

A council spokesman stressed plans are still in the early stages and that Fairoak nursery would not actually shut until the Glebelands schools open.

Local councillor Ed Townsend is backing the parents and has written to the council, asking for the issue to be considered by the scrutiny forum for young people's services.

He said: "No final decision has yet been made on the timing of Durham Road replacement schools, a key part of the nursery decision.

"It is hard to say the decision to close Rockfield is wrong, but to announce now that Fairoak will close as well is premature and ill-advised, considering the uncertainties over the new Glebelands schools."

He is also angry that the decision to go to consultation over closing the nurseries was announced on the council website before parents or staff were told.

He said: "Parents feel as though the council is riding roughshod over them and are determined to fight."