FURNITURE donated to Newport's Tredegar House to recreate a tenant farmer's home is being returned after the project failed to reach fruition.

In the late 1990s, the late Dr Alan Powell offered to donate a collection of furniture from the family farm in Michaelstone-y-Fedw to the museum and heritage service.

Mr Powell, who was brought up on the farm before emigrating to Canada, intended the collection to be used to recreate a 1949 tenant Morgan estate farmer's house and he established a charitable trust to oversee the project.

A report from Mike Lewis, Newport's museums and heritage officer, states that the project was not completed for a number of reasons including the lack of resources to adapt and develop a suitable building for the project and the departure of people leading the project.

Staff at Tredegar House met members of the Powells of Michaelstone-y-Fedw Historic Trust earlier this year and it was agreed the museums and heritage service should seek formal approval to return the items to the family.

The report states: "It is very unlikely that the collection will ever be displayed; it has no place in the museum, and once the National Trust takes over responsibility for Tredegar House, there is no possibility of the collection being used there as intended."

Alway Cllr John Guy said: "It is with great disappointment as an amateur historian that the collection held by Newport City Council cannot be used in a manner to convey the historic background of a tenant farmer on the Tredegar Estate."

Cllr Mike Hamilton, cabinet member for leisure and culture, agreed the collection should be returned to the family trust.