A NEWPORT school has missed out on a new £1million sports centre after parents and residents protested about its location.

And today the head teacher attacked the council for "keeping the school in the dark" over the whole issue.

They welcomed the centre but wanted it shifted from its planned site at the front of St Julian's Comprehensive to a space at the back.

Now the council has scrapped the plans and wants to spend the cash on developing facilities at Bettws High.

The sports centre would have brought a hall, courts, a fitness suite, new changing rooms and meeting areas to school and local community.

Head teacher Steve Marshall criticised the council for giving the school just two days' notice that the funding might be going elsewhere.

He said concerns that the centre would not break even were exaggerated and added: "The figures I saw said the sports hall would need only a £9,000 subsidy a year. We could've worked on getting that reduced."

He said the school was planning to link the centre with the community but now had to look at other opportunities.

He said the council wanted the centre at the front of the school in a more prominent position.

But residents said siting the centre there would be an eyesore and would take a chunk off the school's only full sized sports pitch.

Councillor Ed Townsend said: "This is a betrayal of pupils and residents. Sports facilities at the school have not been updated since World War Two.

"This sends out a message that if people disapprove of what the council is doing then they will get nothing."

A council spokeswoman said: "The council, in the light of increased building costs, public opposition and concerns regarding revenue costs, has had to review proposals and bids put forward for the New Opportunity, PE in Schools Sports Fund.

"As a result, the council has removed the proposal and replaced it with a proposal to develop facilities at Bettws High School.

"These improvements will benefit both the school and the public."