A FORTY-year-old Gwent community hall - dubbed the "best in Wales" by Jimmy Saville - will be forced to close unless it attracts new volunteers.

West Pontnewydd Community Hall in Cwmbran was opened in 1964, but the association running it fears it may have to close later this year.

Over the years the number of committee members pitching in to put on events and keep the hall open has plummeted from 30 to just seven.

Weekly events include two popular bingo sessions, a mothers and toddlers group, a slimming class, a senior citizens club, a dance school, line dancing, whist and regular dances.

And with other key members, including the treasurer and bar manager, due to retire in the summer, the future looks bleak.

Honorary secretary Ian Broad told the Argus new blood was needed.

"Even if those positions are filled, the greater question of appeal to the wider and younger community still remains. We need an injection of enthusiastic young volunteers. Without such support the hall will inevitably have to close," he said.

The hall and land belong to the association's trustees, but without new members they may have to hand over the hall to Torfaen council, which gave it the freehold.

"We need new members to bring in regular money, otherwise we'll have to keep dipping into our reserves," said Mr Broad.

"I don't go anywhere else - I look forward to coming here," said Mary Morgan, 84, who was an original committee member.

"We were there at the beginning, we went round the community and collected money so the hall could be built," said fellow committee member Enid Cook, also 84.

She added: "I would hate to see this hall shut. My husband Bill used to be the MC for all the dances before he died."

Both women live nearby and say they rely on the hall for their social life and entertainment. Legendary DJ Jimmy Saville opened a community fete at the hall in the 1970s, and called it the "best of its kind in Wales", remembered Mrs Morgan.

"I just wouldn't get out at all if we didn't have it," said Mrs Cook.

Members are appealing for volunteers in the West Pontnewydd area to help them.