20 September 2012 Last updated at 16:51 ET

Ysgol Pantycelyn and Tregib school merger confirmed

Campaigners have lost their battle to block plans to merge two comprehensive schools in Carmarthenshire.

Ysgol Pantycelyn in Llandovery will merge with Tregib and a new school will be built on a site at Ffairfach near Llandeilo.

Education Minister Leighton Andrews threw out objections to the move on Thursday.

Earlier this year, campaigners fighting to keep Pantycelyn lost a legal bid for a judicial review into the merger.

Carmarthenshire council has secured £23.7m from the Welsh government for a replacement school.

A number of parents, pupils and staff at Pantycelyn are opposed because the new school will be about 15 miles away (24km).

They say the new school should be built at a location between the two towns, with a site near Llangadog suggested.

But Mr Andrews approved the proposals saying he was "satisfied" with what the council had planned and its response to objections raised.

The merging of the two schools is part of a wider shake-up of education in the Dinefwr area of Carmarthenshire.