An outdoor centre used by thousands of pupils is set to close because of spiralling costs.

Almost 2,000 people have protested by signing a petition on the Downing Street website.

The centre at Hengistbury Head (pictured) runs watersports and other activities for pupils excluded from school or those with conditions such as attention deficit hyperactivity disorder.

Bournemouth Council said it had no choice but to order the closure after failing to find a private operator to run it. A subsidy of Pounds 100,000 a year and building restoration costing thousands are needed.

Councillor Malcolm Davies, cabinet member for education, said the council would keep trying to get a firm involved before the closure date of August 31.

Some teachers at the centre will be made redundant; others will be offered the chance to retrain or to be redeployed.

Bournemouth is setting up an “environmental interpretation and education service” to serve the town at Glenmoor School. KM.