Pupil power is flexing its muscles over the future of the county's farm museum at Cogges, near Witney.

Thirty-two handwritten letters from children at West Witney Primary School are on their way to County Hall.

They join a growing number of protest letters and emails since the county council revealed measures are needed to deal with the museum's £250,000 a year losses.

Closure has not been ruled out, though this week the cabinet member responsible for the museum, Jim Couchman, said ways could yet be found to save Cogges.

Following a request by the Oxford Mail, the council released further figures for the running costs.

They show that annual income for last year was just £120,000, while costs were £367,000.

The museum received about 25,000 visitors - one of the key areas identified for boosting income.

The museum opened in 1978 and at one stage it attracted 80,000 visitors a year.

Martyn Brown, the county's heritage and arts officer, said in a document leaked to the Mail that: "Efficiency savings and budget reductions over many years have left a service which currently does not function effectively."

The thought that Cogges might close brought passionate responses from all 32 children in a Year Five and Six literacy project run by teachers Tonia Stewart and Hazel Howarth at the West Witney school.

They were doing a media project on the Tudors but switched their attention to Cogges after the Mail revealed the future of the museum was in doubt.

Mrs Stewart said: "They felt very strongly about it, all of them. One hundred per cent were against the thought of it closing.

"They are 10- and 11-year-olds and they know the place well. The school arranges visits there and many have visited with their families.

"We decided to use this as an opportunity to see how they understood what was going on and to write a letter to their local newspaper.

"It also showed how children can be a part of their local community and make their voices heard."

Copies of all the letters will be sent to County Hall. Many other children in the Witney area have also been writing to oppose the potential closure.

David Freeman, chairman of the Cogges Trust, which supports the museum, has contacted other schools urging them to back the campaign.