A GWENT community was angered last night when council chiefs recommended closing a secondary school despite massive public opposition.

The closure of Trevethin Community School in Pontypool has been on the cards for more than a year because of a dramatic fall in numbers to less than 400.

The issue led to one of the largest public protest marches ever seen in Pontypool last summer, and at a series of public consultations there was great opposition to the plans.

But at a council policy seminar yesterday Torfaen education leader Mike De Val told councillors closure was the only option for Trevethin.

"Trevethin is now already smaller than at least one of our primary schools." he said.

"Doing nothing is not an option. We have a responsibility to ensure that we deliver the national curriculum."

A number of councillors spoke out against the recommendations to close the school and move pupils to West Monmouth and Abersychan schools.

Penygarn and St Cadocs councillor Mike Davies, whose ward is affected by the closure plan, said: "This is really an exercise in rehashing the LEA's financial situation. Your position is to close Trevethin school no matter what."

Councillor Gwyneira Clark said: "We cannot keep closing schools because of this issue or that issue. We need to be looking a lot more seriously about where we are going to be in the future because eventually we are going to have no more schools left in the north of the borough."