TODAY is D-day for angry parents who have been battling to save their children's primaries and nurseries in Glasgow from closure.

Up to 1000 protesters are expected to join those already in George Square ahead of the crunch closure meeting in the adjacent City Chambers.

Council staff say they have put in place "appropriate" security to prevent parents storming the council meeting which will decide the fate of the 20 schools facing the axe.

Due to the lack of space in the public gallery, only a handful of people will be allowed inside the imposing building to listen to the debate.

The ruling Labour group met last week and voted by an overwhelming majority to close 20 schools but save two nurseries and one primary from the axe.

That decision is almost certain to be rubber-stamped at the end of what is expected to be a long and stormy meeting.

The first protesters arrived at the City Chambers at lunchtime yesterday to begin a round-the-clock protest in the run-up to the special meeting.

In the north of the city, six mothers spent their fourth day on the roof of Our Lady of the Assumption Primary which is to close, with pupils then being sent to St Cuthbert's Primary.

Andrea Paterson, mum of four-year-old Kieran Young who is due to start Our Lady of the Assumption after the summer, is one of the mums on the roof.

She said: "A new campus is being built for our school, Ruchill Primary, Westercommon Primary and St Cuthbert's Primary which is due to open in 18 months.

"All the other schools are getting to stay where they are until the new building opens but the council wants to move our children to St Cuthbert's this summer and the new school next year. We are not asking to stay in Our Lady of the Assumption forever just until the new school opens.

"The mums plan to stay on the roof until the council meeting is over."

The controversial closure plan, which education bosses say is needed to tackle falling school rolls and crumbling buildings, resulted in a massive public outcry.

Of the 7200 people who bombarded the council with comments, 96% were against the schools closing.

Despite that, Labour councillors who met to discuss the plan behind closed doors, voted 31-6 to push ahead with the plan.

Only Ruchill Primary, which is the base for an autism unit with 24 pupils, Shawbridge Nursery in Pollokshaws and Nithsdale Road Nursery in Pollokshields escaped the axe.