PROTESTING parents on the roof of their children's primary school have taken a huge step towards saving it from demolition.

The Department of Culture Media and Sport has rejected Lewisham Council's attempts to overturn Lewisham Bridge Primary School's listed building status.

The decision means the 25 mums who have staged a rooftop protest in Elmira Street for more than three months are within sight of saving the school.

Protester and mum Eleanor Davies, of Ermine Road, Lewisham, said: "This is a great victory for our campaign.

"We have shown that standing up and fighting for our children works. We have forced an arrogant Mayor and council to listen to us, and through sheer determination we have saved our school for the time being."

The 40-year-old added: "We are happy to come down from the roof at the earliest opportunity when we receive confirmation from Lewisham Council that our children will be back at Lewisham Bridge ready for the new term in September."

Lewisham Council wanted to build a new school for three to 16-year-olds on the current site, and aimed to have it built by 2011.

But its plans were thrown into doubt by English Heritage's decision to grant the building Grade II listed status.

The council appealed the decision, but failed, meaning the school's 300 pupils will almost certainly be returning to the site in September for the new school term.

A council spokesperson said: “We are now considering the timeframe for bringing children back to the school; one that causes minimum disruption to their education but also takes into account the remedial building works that are necessary.

“As part of this process, the council is expecting to report various options for the future development of the school to a specially organised meeting of the Mayor and cabinet at the end of this month.

"The report is likely to include proposals that will enable a new school to be built while incorporating the requirements of the English Heritage listing.”