NORTH Wiltshire MP Michael Wills believes Swindon needs to do more for children with special needs even though a specialist school has been saved from the axe.

The Chalet School, which caters for children with learning difficulties, has been thrown a lifeline after it was announced it would be kept open.

The decision marks the end of a two-year struggle by parents and staff to force Swindon Council into a U-turn.

But in spite of this decision Mr Wills, who visited the Chalet School yesterday, can still see room for improvement in special needs provision.

"Historically, there have been problems with the Swindon borough providing help and resources for children with special needs," he said.

"I'm pleased the LEA is beginning to address this but there are still issues.

"The closure of the Chalet School would have left a massive hole in the town."

Mr Wills sympathises with parents of children at the school, who he said were put under enormous strain by the closure threat.

"It would have been very worrying for the parents but it's great news that this wonderful resource has been saved," he said.

Parent Karen Turner, 35, said the pressure on her and her seven-year-old autistic son, Allen, had been unbearable. "It was just horrible that it was under threat," she said. "It was more than we could cope with."

Since moving to its £1.3m site in Liden two years ago, the school has faced an uncertain future.

Council bosses deemed the school uneconomic due to too few pupils.

Parents, spurred on by staff, immediately launched their campaign, which included a 9,000-signature petition. Now councillors have even agreed to set up assessment centre alongside the building.

Coun Garry Perkins, the council's lead member for education, said Swindon was in the forefront of special needs provision.

"Saying we need more special schools is quite negative because it's like saying we need more jails because we are losing the fight against crime," he said. "If Michael Wills wants to give us some more money to build more we would love to. Children have a reasonable deal. I'm not saying it doesn't need improving but it's improving all the time."