THE Welsh school in Trevethin has this week been forced to defend itself over accusations of racism.

Ysgol Gyfun Gwynllyw, on Folly Road, stood accused of turning down a concert for their children on the grounds that the pop group Five Wheel Drive, pictured inset, don't speak Welsh.

The band's furious manager Den Nash told the Free Press: "I wrote to all the schools the lads go to and offered a concert for the school in the Christmas period. A woman from the Welsh school phoned to tell me that, because they don't speak Welsh, they wouldn't be accepting the invitation. What do they want my lads to do? Sing Paradise City in Welsh?"

Mr Nash continued: "About 150 years ago you got beaten up if you spoke Welsh, but this thing has come full circle now. Do these kids go home and watch S4C all night?

"If we were a Muslim band, would they dare have turned us down?" The school has responded in disbelief to the accusations.

One of the schools to welcome Five Wheel Drive is Victoria Primary in Abersychan. Head teacher Joy Dando said: "We're really looking forward to the concert. It's great for the children at the school. Matthew Wells, (a band member) goes to our school and they are an innovative and developing band with talented and dedicated musicians."

Head teacher of the Welsh school, Elis Griffiths, was mystified by the comments. "I don't know who Mr Nash spoke to at the school," he said. "If he had come through to me then the answer would have been quite different. I can categorically say that the fact the band speak English or Welsh is irrelevant.

"Unfortunately, we have had a lot of security problems at the school recently, including firework attacks, damage to property, threats to security guards and under-age drinking on the site.

"As a result, the decision was taken to not allow activities of any kind to take place after school."

Mr Griffiths went on to say that the school have never had any such concert as they don't have the facilities, but added: "If we could have done, there is no question that the language they speak would have had no bearing on any decision made. Again, let me apologise to Mr Nash for any confusion caused as I cannot imagine why he would have been told such a thing."

Five Wheel Drive are Geraint Jones, Matthew Wells, Tom Price, Cerian Jenkins (CJ) and Lewis Barber, who, according to Nash, "speaks Welsh but sings in English - I might have to kick him out of the band now!"