Bleasdale Church of England Primary, near Preston will be shutting after 180 years of teaching, following Lancashire County Council’s declaration that it is ‘no longer financially viable’.

A sharp decrease in students from 16 to two over the past five years, lead to a public consultation into the village school earlier this year, after which the decision was made to shut it down.

From September the numbers would have dropped further as one of the school’s two students, Jonah will be moving on to secondary school.

Associate head teacher David Fann told BBC News there was “shock and numbness” amongst the school’s seven staff members at the news.

He said: “It will hit them hard. When the school goes…I worry for the community.”

The head teacher commented that the school was “the core of the community” and its closure was very sad news.

It comes after a recent study has revealed a 50 per cent drop in the number of small schools in England in recent decades, with those in rural settings twice as likely to close.

The report from think tank Onward shows that nearly 150 rural primaries have shut their doors since 2000, forcing pupils to travel longer distances for their education.

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Theresa May chaired a meeting of the government’s emergency committee on Monday morning to consider how to react to the capture of the Stena Impero on Friday.

Officials said the meeting would consider the options for “strengthening current reassurances” to commercial shipping as well as the response to Tehran.

The Prime Minister’s official spokesman said: “We do not seek confrontation with Iran but it is unacceptable and highly escalatory to seize a ship going about legitimate business through internationally recognised shipping lanes.”

Jon Heard from Apostleship of the Sea, a Christian charity providing welfare support to seafarers told Premier his concerns lie with the crew members: “It’s important to remember these seafarers are just doing their jobs. They’re working long contracts on these vessels, there’s issues between Iran and Britain right now, but none of these seafarers are British nationals.

They’re just innocent victims caught up in the middle.

Heard said it was important to consider both the crew members and their families, who face threat and disruption as a result of these political tensions, suggesting robust training was needed for other vessels to ensure seafarers are adequately equipped to enter the Persian Gulf.

He continued: “We know that seafarers themselves are finding this very stressful. It affects all seafarers travelling through the region…

Calver will succeed general director Steve Clifford at the Christian charity, who revealed in April that he would step down later this year. 

Calver has been the EA’s director of mission since 2015, and he previously spent 14 years at the charity Youth for Christ – six of which as their national director.

He is also chair of the Spring Harvest Planning Group, and regularly preaches and teaches in churches around the UK and beyond. 

Commenting on Calver’s next career opportunity, Dr Tani Omideyi, chair of the Evangelical Alliance’s board of trustees, said: “Gavin excelled throughout the interviewing process. 

“With a strong field of applicants, he impressed the board with his extensive expertise and his vision for the future, and he left us with a sense of excitement and great expectation. 

“We came out of the process feeling confident that we have found someone chosen of God for this new season. His appointment is fully endorsed by the whole board.” 

Calver said he felt “privileged” to have been selected as the charity’s new CEO. 

“The Evangelical Alliance has been at the heart of evangelicalism in the UK since 1846,” he said. 

“This unity movement, which has a rich and prestigious heritage of gospel unity in the Church, has had a profound impact on the social fabric of the UK, and I am deeply humbled to accept the role of…