PARENTS whose children were due back at two Abergavenny schools were warned neither was ready to open - just days before term started.

Llwynu Infants and St David's Junior schools - which are currently sharing the same site - will remain closed until next Monday, while building works are completed.

Llwynu should have opened on Wednesday, and St David's was due to open today. They are sharing the St David's site for the next two years - while a new primary school is built on the original Llwynu land - but operate independently.

Monmouthshire council blamed the delay on materials not being transferred in time. But the chairman of governors for St David's School, Victor Barrett, also Abergavenny's mayor, claimed contractors were still working there yesterday.

He added: "The official line is incorrect. The work should have been finished last week.

"The contractors were running behind schedule and the teachers were in there on Monday trying to sort them out."

Around 150 children are affected by the closure.

Katherine Watkins, of Grosvenor Road, Abergavenny, whose nine-year-old daughter attends St David's, said: "I found out on Tuesday and was shocked. It's not enough notice to give parents who may struggle for childcare. The council have made a right mess of it."

Last night a council spokesman told the Argus: "The school was handed back on Monday.

"The teachers had two training days and the head teachers and governors asked for three more days to get themselves established - making sure everything, like displays, were up. They wanted to make it feel like the old schools."

St David's head teacher, Charles Baggott, said that when he returned to the school on Monday there was "still a certain amount of work to do before we could allow the pupils to return". Letters were sent to parents that day.

Mr Baggott said: "I have since spoken to some who have been very understanding", adding the schools had been placed in a "difficult position".

Chairman of Llwynu's board of governors, Councillor Rob Griffiths, said teachers intended to get the schools ready last week.

"They weren't able to do that simply because the contractors were completing the work and they wanted a free hand."

Llwynu head Maggie Teague declined to comment.