THE fight to save a doomed agricultural college from closure is being taken to Parliament.

And the education chiefs who made the decision to shut the doors of the Newton Rigg College campus at Penrith are to be called as witnesses.

Dr Tim Whitaker, Chief Executive Officer and Judith Clapham, Director of Governance at Askham Bryan College form part of a panel of witnesses to take part in a Commons debate into land-based education provision in England.

The 11-strong committee of cross-party MPs – which includes Penrith and the Border MP Neil Hudson, will investigate the current provision of education in areas such as agriculture and forestry, and any implications for Government policy. This will include looking at the example of the provision of land-based education in Cumbria and the impact of the planned closure of Newton Rigg College.

Owner's, Askham Bryan College announced last year their intention to close the Penrith campus this summer.

Thousands have signed a petition, including Cumbria's young farmers, to keep the campus open.

The Evidence Session will take place on Tuesday, March 23 at 2.30pm and will be held virtually and available to watch on parliamentlive.tv