THE fight to save Seale-Hayne College from closure can still be won, insists former governor Jim Hosking.

'Logic, truth and right are on our side,' he declared in a rousing battlecry to give heart to opponents of the move that could deliver a £5.5million hammer blow to the Newton Abbot economy.

'I think there are so many people of the very highest calibre who know Seale-Hayne who are appalled at what is planned that we have a case to ask the vice chancellor to look at it again, in a positive not a negative way,' he said.

The University of Plymouth needed to show that it could deliver both academically and financially – and it hadn't done either, said Mr Hosking, who is chairman of the Seale-Hayne Future Group that now meets regularly in Newton Abbot.

He claimed that vice-chancellor Prof Roland Levinsky had been passed 'a dirty basket of washing' – the closure – by the previous incumbent and 'told to get on with it'.

Seale-Hayne was 'the most exceptionally good college' for land-based learning – and the country needed it.

'From a personal point of view, I share with 1000s of old students some years which were the most valuable and the most enjoyable of my life,' he said.

The future group should give confidence to staff and students by giving a voice to all those who had strong feelings over the future of Seale-Hayne.

People had said the closure was appalling and what could they do? 'Alone the answer is very little, but together a great deal,' he insisted.

The group did not believe in demonstrations, he said, while adding: 'We hope common sense will prevail and the board of governors will take a fresh look.'

Mr Hosking said he was extremely concerned that they had been fed 'meal after meal' of the downgrading of Seale-Hayne at every opportunity.

Peter Evans, the deputy vice-chancellor (resources), had downplayed Seale- Hayne 'in the most disgraceful manner', he claimed.

'There is a campaign of belittling Seale- Hayne's reputation and all that it is, on every occasion.'

Mr Hosking said that he kept hearing about the very few students who were taking agriculture but that was putting everything out of perspective.

'The fact is there are 500 students doing land-based learning, but the clever thing is they never mention it.'

Seale-Hayne had broadened the whole spectrum of courses to deal with the present situation and students' needs.

The total number of students at the college was now nearly 800 but, he said, 'if you listen to the vice-chancellor, Seale-Hayne was running down to nothing.'

He 'completely mistrusted' the university and added: 'I would be very worried that the students would have the quality of facilities they have been promised.'

The university had been 'really surprised' by the strength of feeling over the closure which was getting stronger and stronger, he claimed.

'We are so concerned that Seale-Hayne has suffered deliberate downplaying for much of the past decade. The campaign is intense and absolutely despicable,' Mr Hosking said.

lTeignbridge MP Richard Younger-Ross met Prof Levinsky on Tuesday to discuss the university's plans to close the Seale-Hayne campus.