Parents fight to save St Mary's School in Shaftesbury

Parents and former pupils are fighting to save a private girls' school which has closed down.

St Mary's School in Shaftesbury announced last week that it had shut permanently following the end of the summer term.

Now staff have joined with parents and alumnae to raise money and find new investors to help save it.

A GoFundMe page has so far raised more than £30,000, with some donors pledging thousands.

A committee set up to save the school urged parents who were searching for new schools for their daughters to "not make any firm commitments elsewhere until 24 July" while all options were being considered.

A letter from the Save St Mary's Steering Committee, shared on social media, said: "The committee met with the head teacher and finance team to discuss the current situation and immediate options for the future of the school, all of which will be considered, including engaging several parties who have expressed an interest in investing in St Mary's."

The independent Catholic boarding and day school was founded in 1945 and teaches girls aged nine to 18.

Former pupils include art curator Laura Lopes, daughter of the Duchess of Cornwall.

A message on the school's Facebook page read: "St Mary's Shaftesbury has now permanently closed.

"We wish all our girls every success for the future, and thank them for making this such a happy school.

"'Be seekers of truth and doers of justice', wherever you go."