CAMPAIGNING youngsters claim feuding schoolchildren will cause disruption when St Columba's and Notre Dame merge.

Pupils from Notre Dame held a demo outside a Lib Dem councillors' surgery in Kelly Street to protest against the merger.

Organiser Paul McEachnie (13) said: `It's terrible the council will close two huge schools. There will be a mix of people who don"t get on from Larkfield, Grieve Road and Bow Farm in the same school. There are territorial issues.` Determined Paul took his fight to save his school to the First Minister, the Prime Minister and even the Queen.

`I love school, we get drama and music classes and we have really good teachers. We'll be getting new teachers who won't know us - it'll be like going back to first year,` he said.

He added he and his classmates would be preparing for their Standard Grades in the same year they would move.

Paul, who lives in Patrick Street, Greenock, accepts various schools were housed in the Dunlop site before Notre Dame.

But he said: `All moves happened during the summer. They should follow old Labour proposals and refurbish both schools.` He added: `There will be nothing left in Inverclyde. When I am older, I won't be voting for the Lib Dems.` The controversial move was passed by full council last week and angry pupils quizzed councillors Jim Hunter and Eddie Gallacher.

Mr Gallacher, ward councillor for Bow Farm and Pennyfern, said: `The same concerns were raised when primary schools in Larkfield amalgamated but as far as I'm aware there's been no problems at Earnhill Primary. It might help tackle territorial issues if they are in one school instead of two separate ones.` Deputy provost Maxie Hill, who was in the office, said: `It's unfortunate the kids have been involved in this campaign. This is being stirred up by a minority of parents who are only interested in their own personal circumstances.`