RENEWED calls are being made for crash barriers after four Gwent men drowned in a reen when their car veered off the coast road near Newport.

William James, who lost his son in a similar incident in 1976, said he has been pressing for action for the last 30 years.

His concerns are echoed by local trader Will Thomas who added his voice to fresh calls for the safety barriers.

When Mr James, 80, of Newport, learned of the latest tragedy he was shocked at the similarity to what happened three decades ago.

In April, 1976, he lost one of his twin sons, Malcolm, aged 19, who drowned in a reen after a car accident on a similar stretch of road near Goldcliff.

The car was later found to be faulty but Mr James said he wants Newport council to put up safety barriers on the road to prevent any further "needless deaths."

He said: "It is a terrible thing. I want the council to take notice of this latest tragedy and do something.

"If it's about money, that is disgusting.

"Money is worth nothing to the lives of these four men. My heart goes out to their families."

The four, all friends from Risca, were Scott Harding, 25, his brother Warren, 27, Andrew Brooks, 30, Geraint Hill, 26, who were found dead in a partially submerged car at St Brides on June 12.

Residents are continuing to press Newport council to put safety barriers up after the accident shook the community.

Mr Thomas, of Greenmoor Nurseries, St Brides Road, said he and his customers had called for barriers for years.

He said: "It is a dangerous road without a doubt.

"The speed limit is too high and there should be barriers on the bends of the reen.

"You take your life in your hands walking across the road and it is used just as much as the A48.

"It's a quick route to Cardiff and has no speed cameras. Lorries and cars whizz past all the time."

A spokesman for Newport council said: "As part of its investigations Newport city council, as highway authority, will once again look at all safety issues regarding this stretch of road.

"However, the coast road does not meet the criteria for which there is a statutory requirement to install safety barriers."

Gwent Police have called the incident a freak accident and are not treating it as suspicious.

An inquest has opened and preliminary investigations found that the four friends drowned. The coroner adjourned the inquest for three months to allow further inquiries.

The funeral of Scott and Warren Harding is to take place at Moriah Baptist Church, Risca, tomorrow, Andrew Brooks' is at the same church on Thursday and the service for Geraint Hill is at Bethany Baptist Church,Risca, on Friday.