FANTASTIC - that was the reaction in a village today at the news its school was safe from closure.

Campaigners fought for nearly 18 months to keep open Ponthir VC School.

Today they got the news they had been praying for. Assembly education minister Jane Davidson rejected the council's proposal to close the school.

Delighted Ponthir governor Howard Thompson said he was "over the moon".

"It's thanks to the hard efforts of the Save Ponthir Group and everyone who helped the campaign," he said, adding: "This is absolutely fantastic what we have dreamed of."

Community council chairman Mrs Jenny Nancarrow said: "It's just marvellous and a tribute to the action group whose dedication has paid off so magnificently in saving the school at the heart of our community".

Torfaen council voted to close the school last year as part of a major reorganisation which aimed to cut down on surplus places.

Education chiefs said one in four primary school places would be vacant by 2008 if nothing was done.

Ponthir scored highly on teaching standards and pupil performance but the LEA said 44 per cent of its places would be surplus by 2008.

Campaigners have always maintained the school should be judged on its education performance and reject the council's calculations on surplus places.

Today Jane Davidson appears to have agreed. In a nine-page letter to education chiefs she said there were no advantages to children in closing the school.

She believed "that any educational benefit to pupils would be marginal particularly bearing in mind the disruption caused by their dispersal." She also criticised the council for the lack of choice parents would have if the school were closed.

A Torfaen council spokesman said: "We are extremely disappointed with the decision and now we need some time to consider our position." Ponthir's headteacher Val Baker said the decision backed up the belief of campaigners, staff and parents that a small school had a valid place in the education system.

"We are ecstatic, the kids were singing their hearts out in assembly," she said.

"It is fantastic for everyone involved. Now we must press on with achieving voluntary aided status to secure the future of the school under the funding of the Church in Wales."