THE number of seven-year-olds learning in Welsh has increased by less than 0.1 per cent a year for the past four years, a campaign group has said.

Cymdeithas yr Iaith Gymraeg has called on the Welsh Government to make Welsh-language teaching more widely available, claiming if current trends continue it will take 800 years for it to be available to every child in Wales.

Speaking ahead a rally in Cardiff on Saturday, February 13, the group’s chairman Jamie Bevan said: "Whichever party or parties form the next Welsh Government they have to act with vision and ensure that the will of the people of Wales to see our language thriving is realised.

“On the eve of the Assembly elections one of our most important demands is for Welsh-medium education for all.

“The politicians claim they want to create a fully bilingual Wales – but the present education system doesn't succeed in doing that.

“According to the government's own figures, the growth in Welsh-medium education is extremely slow.

“No-one could possibly argue it's not taking too long.

“We cannot wait 800 years."

Earlier this month Newport City Council blocked plans for a new Welsh-language secondary school in the city.