AN under-17s nightclub is fighting back against unwarranted claims of drug use which have cut its attendance by more than half.

Cwmbran nightspot Club Zenon, run for anyone aged 17 or younger, has been operating in Our Lady of the Angels Church Hall, Victoria Street, for more than two years. It offers an alcohol-free nightclubbing experience for teenagers.

But attendance has dropped dramatically in recent weeks and manager Simon Gleeson blames it on talk about violence and drug use at the club.

He said: "We used to have between three and four hundred kids in there on a Saturday night but at the moment we're down to about 120.

"When you walk in there on a Saturday it's a nightclub. The light and set-up are better than a lot of clubs in Newport.

"People are saying that someone has been knifed in the club and that it's a haven for drug dealers. "Nobody's ever been stabbed in there. There was a Newport boy who got stopped coming in with a knife on him but the police arrested him and that was that. We've also stopped someone with drugs on the doors, and again, they were reported to the police straight away.

"When you bring a couple of hundred kids together from different areas there's always going to be animosity but the doormen we have are brilliant boys and they can spot any trouble before it happens.

"There are no drugs and no alcohol inside, and anyone with either is turned over to the police."

PC Darrell Dewar, crime reduction officer for Cwmbran, said: "I can confirm that the door staff have stopped one youth with a knife, and that he has now been convicted. But there's absolutely no information that drugs are a problem there.

"We have the occasional call to the club, which we would expect when there are large groups of youngsters but it's not a problem place for us."

* Club Zenon has set up an open day for parents which will be attended by management and Gwent Police on Sa-turday January 25 between 1.30pm and 3.30pm.