Parents fighting to save their children's school lobbied councillors and handed education bosses an open letter.

Protesters from the Local Education Action Group stood outside Brighton and Hove City Council offices at King's House in Hove yesterday, handing out leaflets calling for East Brighton College of Media Arts (Comart) to be kept open.

They handed the letter to the education department, calling for secondary education to stay in Whitehawk.

Organiser Kevin Wade said: "We feel there is no communication.

"No one seems to be sure of the timetable. We want them to really open the consultation process up and make it genuine."

News the Wilson Avenue school, which has had four headteachers in five years, could be facing closure, was leaked to The Argus in May.

Education bosses said closure was one of several options being considered because falling student numbers no longer made it viable.

However, at a heated public meeting, many parents and residents said they wanted the school to stay, with some form of educational provision on the site.

The letter called on the council to "publicly declare closure is not an option" and confirm the consultation process was democratic.

It called the previous meeting a "debacle" and asked the opinions of students, staff, teachers and parents be sought before anything concrete was done.

Bryan Wyatt, who has one child at Comart and another due to start in September, said: "I have already had two children go there and I am satisfied with their education.

"I don't want the ones going there now to go to another school.

"I was originally very surprised and shocked to hear about the council's plans. They have spent lots of money on the school and now they are talking about closing it, which seems madness."

At present the school is only half full with 450 pupils and 90 more expected in September.

A decision on its future is due later this year and, if the council opts for closure, it is likely it will shut in 2005.

Eleanor Davies, who handed over the letter, said: "My son is due to go into Year 8. He isn't very good with change and last year when he started at the school he went off the rails a bit.

"The school was good and he is doing fine now but if he changes school again he will go off the rails again."

Janette Karklins, assistant director of the children, families and schools department, said: "We welcome the contribution of local people to the consultation process.

"The children, families and schools committee will be considering the options for the future of the college when it meets on September 8.

"No decisions have been made yet and further consultation will take place before a decision is made later this year."