Two of Wales' smallest primary schools have been given a last minute reprieve, after councillors in mid Wales agreed not to close them.

Trecastle and Libanus primary schools in Powys have just 45 pupils between them.

Powys County Council met on Thursday to consider withdrawing funding for both schools, under its policy to shut schools with fewer than 28 pupils.

Libanus has under 30 pupils

Now the authority is ready to review the policy.

The National Association of Schoolmasters and Union of Women Teachers recently said schools with fewer than 50 pupils should close because they could not maintain standards.

The council's executive had earlier recommended the closure of the schools in a move which sparked protests in the communities.

It called for the withdrawal of their small schools allowance, which would not allow them to carry on.

The school plays a "vital" role in village life

Trecastle has 22 pupils while Libanus has 23, and each school has just two teachers.

Councillors originally made up their mind in February 2000, as parents waved placards and chanted outside their headquarters in an effort to keep the schools open.

Libanus was given a stay of execution and was able to swell numbers temporarily by opening a nursery.

On Tuesday, Education Minister Jane Davidson confirmed Ysgol Trewyddel and Ysgol Dinas in Pembrokeshire would also close because they were too small to continue.

Parents said it would have a devastating effect on their communities.

Language campaigners called on the Liberal Democrats to pull out of the Welsh Assembly coalition over Labour's "betrayal" of Welsh-medium education