RESIDENTS of a Pontypool community given a huge Assembly grant say vandalism won't deter their regeneration plans.

A year ago Trevethin, St Cadocs and Penygarn were awarded £642,000 by the National Assembly's Communities First Fund to revamp the wards.

The Argus reported last week how a resource centre being built with the money in Trevethin suffered £5,000 worth of damage at the hands of vandals.

The attacks have only increased the determination of local people to see their community benefit from the money.

Trevethin councillor Lewis Jones said: "There has been a sense of outrage in the community over the attack.

"The building has been derelict for years and lots of people were waiting for it to re-open with excitement. But now we must move on and work together."

The redevelopment of the resource centre in Trevethin cost £350,000 of the grant money, and many other projects are to be developed in all three wards.

A partnership board is due to meet on June 10 to propose a small number of projects to test the system.

On Friday a skateboard park was opened at Trev-ethin's Cold Barn Farm, from an extra grant given to Communities First areas by the National Assembly, and a mountain bike track is being built in the same location.

Other projects likely to be funded include outdoor kickwalls and shelters for young people in the area, as well as a multi-play area near Trevethin Shops.

Communities First aims to harness people-power and transform communities by focusing on key issues such as business, employment and youth facilities.

Trevethin, St Cadocs and Penygarn, along with Thornhill in Cwmbran, were the only wards in Torfaen to qualify for the ten-year scheme.

Hywel Lewis, Communities First co-ordinator, said: "The future is very bright for Trevethin, St Cadocs and Penygarn.

"We don't promise any instant fixes but we promise commitment.

'We are confident that the programme is going well and we will keep working hard to create a better community."