PONTHIR Action Group member Steve Price called for the council to look at the situation again.

He said the school offered excellent faith-based education, and suggested ways to keep Ponthir open and make capital savings of £170,000 and revenue savings of £19,600 per year.

He said a nursery being built next door to the school would offer 'wrap-around' care. "This should be a flagship development but it's going to be an embarrassment if the school next door is demolished."

The school's governors are currently consulting residents on making Ponthir voluntary aided, which will mean the Church takes on much of the running.

After the meeting parent and campaigner Lynn Grant said: "We are sure that when Ponthir goes before the Assembly with the proposal of voluntary-aided status that they will see that any proposal to close the school is an absolute nonsense."