Members of the yoga group demonstrated outside City Hall

The group were informed of the decision as they held a protest outside Cardiff Council offices.

Around 20 people gathered outside City Hall before a council meeting to hand in a petition to save the classes.

The Yoga Mobility group at Rookwood Hospital in Cardiff has had three classes a week for the past 30 years.

Around 60 people are on the books to attend the sessions, which is thought to be the only service of its kind in Wales.

But they face closure because the group's subsidy from Elwa, the education training body which was routed through Cardiff Council, has been cut.

This means that funding can only pay for one session a week until December, when it would shut for good.

Barbara and Darren Bowen say the classes are vital

The classes cater for people with a range of disabilities and illnesses including Parkinson's disease, multiple sclerosis and arthritis.

People who have suffered physical injuries and people with learning disabilities can also attend.

But as the protesters demonstrated, council officials admitted they had not realised that the three yoga services catered for different groups of people.

And now a meeting is being arranged with members of the group to discuss their needs and look for alternative sources of funding.

Dee Geraghty from Yoga Mobility said she hoped progress would now be made.

"This is a positive step in the right direction," she said.

"Feelings are running very high and I hope that something can now be done."

Vic Gobbett, the chairman of the group also agreed.

"Let's hope that our voices will be heard now," he said.

Dee Geraghty handed in a petition to Bill Kelloway

The council's executive member for education and lifelong learning Bill Kelloway, along with Steven Philips, the corporate director, will meet with group members at a date yet to be confirmed.

Julie Morgan, MP for Cardiff North and Sue Essex AM joined the protest.

"The members of the group are furious and are going to do all they can to change what is happening," said Mrs Morgan.

"The classes are very important to the members.

"Some of them are severely disabled and it gives them a real opportunity to do yoga in a specialist setting.

"And it gives people the chance to relax and as well as that.

"A lot of the members centre their week around the classes - it is more than a class it is a social point too."

Cardiff Council has announced that funding for another yoga group, which is designed for people with learning disabilities, has secured funding until next September.