Stratton School Farm in Biggleswade to close

A school farm used to train future agricultural workers for more than 60 years is closing.

Stratton School Farm in Biggleswade, Bedfordshire, opened in 1955 and is home to pigs, chickens and sheep on its 9.6 acre (4 hectare) site.

It is linked to Stratton Upper School, which blamed a fall in agricultural students and a £500,000 refurbishment bill as reasons for its closure.

Residents have begun a petition calling for the decision to be reversed.

Interim head teacher, Roz Hodges, told parents in a letter the farm buildings needed a large overhaul and the number of pupils choosing agricultural studies had "declined significantly, at a time when the costs of running the farm... have been increasing".

The letter added the farm was "no longer viable".

It is set to close at the end of the summer term on 19 July.

The petition calling for the farm to stay open said it was "an amazing place" that offered "great qualities to children and other members of the public".

Local residents commented that "not only is the farm good for the school but it's an asset to Biggleswade", adding that "children should be made aware of where their food comes from".