THE demands of the Chartist movement once more echoed down the Sirhowy Valley yesterday as children from three Caerphilly schools staged a commemorative march in one of the movement's heartlands.

Intended as a celebration of the Chartist statue at the Oakdale end of the Chartist Bridge that spans the valley from Blackwood, the event is among dozens taking place this week to mark the 169th anniversary of the advance on Newport which ended in bloody chaos at the Westgate Hotel.

Brandishing banners bearing Chartist slogans and wearing period costume, youngsters from Cefn Fforest primary school, Oakdale's Rhiw Syr Dafydd primary school, and Blackwood comprehensive, marched with local dignitaries.

The statue, by sculptor Sebastian Boyeson, is eight metres high and depicts a Chartist marcher, pikestaff in hand, advancing down the valley.

Made of iron mesh and washers, it has been in place barely a year, but already stands as a powerful symbol of the fight for the right to vote.

It is a hit with the younger generation too, children on the march impressed by its scale and presence.

"It's a very powerful figure and making it out of washers is very unusual approach," said Joanne Spearman, 16, head girl at Blackwood comprehensive, who lives just across the bridge from the statue. As part of the celebrations she read the poem The March, by Ernest Jones, one of the valleys Chartists.

"We've done a lot about the Chartists in school and it is important to have a symbol of that struggle, which is an important part of this area's history."

Luke Storey, Sam Cross and Josh Tedstone, pupils in Year Five at Rhiw Syr Dafydd primary school, Oakdale, are very proud of their "great" statue.

"We've done some work on the Chartists and it's been fun today," said Luke.

Kim Colebrook, of Herian (Heritage in Action) a group aiming to get public, voluntary and community groups together to bring Wales' industrial history alive, said it is important the Chartists be celebrated by young people as a means of emphasising the importance of the movement's struggle to democracy today.