Croxteth school campaigners take survival fight to London.

THE Headteacher, staff, parents and pupils of Croxteth Comprehensive returned to Parliament yesterday in a bid to save the school from closure.

Headteacher Richard Baker led a group of 30 campaigners to Westminster, where they met Merseyside MPs and Jim Knight, the education minister.

Mr Baker said the meeting with Southport MP John Pugh, West Derby MP Bob Wareing and Riverside MP Louise Ellman, Birkenhead MP Frank Field and a representative of Garston MP Maria Eagle had been a success.

"It was a productive meeting, with many of the MPs experiencing similar threats of closure to schools in their areas," he said.

"Jim Knight listened to all our concerns and said we needed to show the overwhelming support for keeping the school open."

Mr Baker is compiling a document of all the arguments with the help of Parents Against Closure (PAC) and Kids Against Closure (KAC).

The objections will be presented to the council next Wednesday after a full governors meeting on Monday.

Under the plans, Croxteth School will close in 2010.

The 20-year-old student claims he has no recollection of the horror smash on Telegraph Road, Thurstaston, but insists he was not speeding.

But prosecutor Henry Riding told jurors that five men travelling in a car behind Miss Ralfs witnessed the crash at 10pm on December 28, 2007.

One passenger told police Stam's silver estate was "wholly on the wrong side of the road and flying, I would say at about 80 to 90mph".

He added: "The cars crashed headon.

There was a hell of a bang and the front of both cars lifted."

Mr Riding said that because of the wet condition of the road, there were no skid marks.

But he said gouge marks indicated where the crash had occurred, more than 20 metres from where both Stam and Miss Ralfs's cars had come to rest.

Another witness said: "Everything seemed to go in slow motion. The car straightened up and went into the front of the Micra, hitting it.

"The lady had no time to swerve or break as the brake lights of her vehicle didn't come on."

Mr Riding added that following the smash other drivers challenged Stam over his driving, calling him stupid.

He repeatedly apologised, telling people: "I'm sorry, I'm sorry. I didn't mean it."

A paramedic who treated Stam also recalled he spoke of driving too fast and killing someone.

Stam, who suffered two broken legs in the smash, later told a friend in a text message he had skidded. But in interview, he said he had no recollection of the message either.

He also claimed to have given Miss Ralfs mouth-to-mouth resuscitation.

Jurors are due to visit the crash scene today. The case continues.

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