Stray FM and Scarborough News cover the news that there are fears in North Yorkshire, and around the country, that many of the UK’s rural areas could become child-free zones unless action is taken to stop the closure of schools, shops and community facilities.

In North Yorkshire alone 57 schools are expecting to be deficient by April 2020. A recent study also found that by December 2020 63 per cent of schools expected to make reductions in teaching staff, 86 per cent expected to increase class sizes and 93 per cent of schools stated they had a reduced capacity to meet the needs of young people with special needs.

Local councillor Janet Jefferson said: ‘We are going to be left with certain areas within North Yorkshire that are non child-bearing age. There are going to be villages where there is not going to be any children. It will be like one of those Disney films where there are no longer any children in the town.’

Full articles:

→ Stray FM - Fears over 'child-free zones' in rural North Yorkshire

→ Scarborough News - Action needed to stop rural areas becoming child-free zones