Campaigners said the decision did not mean that schools had been saved

At meeting on Tuesday, council leader Rhiannon Hughes said further consultation was needed in the communities affected before moving forward.

The reprieve pleased up to 150 parents and protesters outside the council's headquarters in Ruthin. However, the closures could still be revisited at a future date.

Denbighshire's local authority announced proposals last week to close the 14 primary schools following a drop in pupil numbers.

The authority had said that falling numbers meant there would be about 1,600 empty places by 2006.

COUNCIL'S NEXT STEPS Seminars for councillors on issues Arrange meeting with MPs, AMs Personal visits to schools and communities Rhodri Morgan asked for advice

Ms Hughes said: "It is clear that the document that has been prepared for the next stage in the consultation process does not have the support which is necessary to take this forward".

The council instead announced a series of recommendations, including personal visits to all schools identified in the report.

Mavis Holder, governor of Ysgol Dyffryn Ial, which has sites in Bryneglwys and Llandegla, said Tuesday's announcement did not mean the school had been saved.

"I don't think it's been withdrawn completely. I think they'll go back to the drawing board and consult with the schools and parents," she said.

Ms Holder said the school was an important aspect of their "tight community".

"If there's no school you won't get any young families coming into the village. The school is the hub of the village," she added.

Sian Hughes has three children aged nine, seven and five who attend Prion school, previously threatened with closure. She believes it will no longer be closed.

"It's fantastic. People power I say. We will be keeping a really close eye on the council," she said.

Meanwhile neighbouring Flintshire Council met on Tuesday afternoon to discuss how it can effectively manage its primary and secondary school places.

An Audit Commission report said that the authority's small schools policy needed to be revised.

A spokesman for Flintshire Council said the authority "currently has no proposal to close any of its schools, however, the authority is revising its policy on small schools and surplus places".