An independent school facing closure in Ripon has been thrown a potential lifeline.

The Ripon Cathedral Choir School announced it was shutting with immediate effect after a merger with Cundall Manor School fell through.

Now, Queen Ethelburga's College - based near York – has come forward to say it is willing to hold eleventh hour talks.

It has released the following statement:

Queen Ethelburga's has just announced it has formally made an offer of 11th hour discussions to save Ripon Cathedral Choir School.

This offer has gone directly to the Very Reverend Keith Jukes, Dean of Ripon.

Queen Ethelburga’s believes this could be a practical and worthwhile arrangement as;

The Principal of Queen Ethelburga’s, Steven Jandrell,  is an Associate Member of the Royal College of Music.

Queen Ethelburga’s has recently opened a large new £4m Choral, Music and Drama Centre.

Due to recent substantial capital investment in new facilities the Collegiate has available capacity.

Queen Ethelburga’s is offering, for both potential day and boarding children of Ripon Cathedral Choir School:

• To stand by the existing Scholarships and fees enjoyed by existing parents of the Choir School
• Free  new school uniforms
• Help towards bus costs, to and from Queen Ethelburga’s, using the existing QE School bus services that already serves all of the area where day parents live
• Employment of existing Choir School specialist Choral and Music staff - all if some financial assistance forthcoming from Ripon Cathedral.

The Charitable Foundation that supports Queen Ethelburga’s Collegiate, has said it would be willing to partly assist the Cathedral in meeting the additional costs.

Queen Ethelburga’s Collegiate are available day or night, seven days a week, to put a deal together if this is what the Cathedral and parents want.