A PRIMARY school is to reconsider its decision to ditch its witch logo following an outcry in the village. Warboys Primary School has been under considerable pressure from parents and villagers after it announced plans to replace the 60-year-old school lo

A PRIMARY school is to reconsider its decision to ditch its witch logo following an outcry in the village.

Warboys Primary School has been under considerable pressure from parents and villagers after it announced plans to replace the 60-year-old school logo.

As well as setting up a petition, about 100 people packed Warboys Parish Council's annual meeting on Thursday to question the school's headteacher and governors.

As reported by The Hunts Post last week, the governors said the witch logo was to be scrapped as it was putting off potential pupils and staff from joining the school.

The governors were also planning to change the uniform colour, which they said would give the school a completely fresh start.

However, yesterday (Tuesday) statement released to The Hunts Post by headteacher, Martin Kelsey said the decision was being reconsidered.

It stated: "Following the decision to make changes to the school uniform and logo, the governors at Warboys County Primary School have engaged in discussion with parents and the parish council.

"They are currently reflecting on the comments made and will decide on the way forward shortly."

Parents and the parish council are both bitterly opposed to the change.

They believe the logo is not to blame for staff not wanting to join the school, but a less than glowing Ofsted report in 2005 is putting off new recruits - despite inspectors rating the school as "satisfactory".

Following last week's parish meeting councillor Joan Cole, a former pupil at the school, told The Hunts Post: "There was an awful lot of feeling and emotion at the meeting.

"I was able to produce a copy of the school magazine from 1946, proving how well established the logo was."

Signatures on a petition started by parents to save the witch have now topped 900 - without counting over 250 on-line, started on Facebook.

Meanwhile, witch stickers sold for charity at T G Buddle, the village butcher, are said to have never been so popular - about 100 have been sold in the past week, raising money for the East Anglian Air Ambulance.

Trevor Buddle, 64, who has been a butcher in the village for 42 years, said: "People are rebelling- nearly everyone already had one but they are buying more.

"The schoolchildren like the witch, it makes them different from other schools. It is part of the village's history and you can't sweep history under the carpet."

The day after the story appeared in last week's Hunts Post, the story was picked up television news and The Daily Telegraph.

Villagers say the witch logo is synonymous with their village. Warboys was the last recorded place where witches were hanged - three people from the same family on April 4, 1593.