ABERGAVENNY parents are furious that 21 children have been refused a place at one of the town's primary schools next September.

Councillor Douglas Edwards, a governor at Cantref Primary School, said the 30 children offered places all fulfilled one of three criteria: medical reasons, the sibling rule or catchment area.

He said nine lived in the catchment area and that 17 had a sibling in the school, with four of these from outside the catchment area, including one from Raglan and another from Llanfihangel Crucorney.

One parent, Alexandra Copley, of Llwyndu Court, Abergavenny, said: "We moved to this area from London because of the smaller schools. We live 0.8 of a mile from Cantref School yet have been told to send our daughter to Deri View, 1.8 miles away.

"We're not sending her to Deri View because it's too big."

Melissa Toombs, of Park Street, said her son already attended the nursery at Cantref School, adding: "We live 0.7 miles from Cantref and I wanted him to go there with the friends he's made at nursery.

"Parents are furious because when they ring to complain they're not told about the other schools available, they're only told there are places at Deri View."

A Monmouthshire County Council spokesperson said the authority had a very high percentage of securing parental preference.

She said the maximum number of pupils who could be admitted into the reception year was 30, and had received 51 applications by the January 31 closing date.

"When an application is refused, parents are offered the right of appeal to an independent appeals panel who will hear the case," she added.

"Furthermore, in refusing an admission where a parent has not stated a second or third preference, a place is offered at the next nearest available school to the home address."