Did you know Jean-Marie? (From Penarth Times)

Did you know Jean-Marie?

PENARTH is ablaze with rumours that French extremist Jean-Marie Le Pen worked in the town's grammar school in the 1950s.

According to a local resident, the controversial right-wing politician worked as a French assistant at Penarth Grammar School from 1953 until 1954.

But staff at Stanwell School (formerly Penarth Grammar) say they have no-one there who would remember if Le Pen worked there and that records have been burned.

Michael O'Neill, of Railway Terrace, said: "I understand that an individual named Jean-Marie Le Pen worked as French assistant at the Grammar School in Penarth in the school year 1953 to 1954.

"I also recall seeing the individual in question walking along the promenade in Penarth at weekends, and heard about him from a male friend who went to the school in question - Arthur Wason, who lived in Sully Terrace at the time."

He added: "The story I heard was that one or two girls were keen on him." He said of the runner-up in the recent French Presidential election: "I have a strong feeling that it is the same person, there even being a resemblance in appearance with the photographs I have seen over the years.

"One understands that the school would probably wish to disown him completely, and not to draw attention to their wayward ex-member of the teaching staff."

Mr O'Neill added: "But the facts are facts and I for one will continue to suspect the link between what has now become a very 'yuppie' and upward-striving education establishment and the current black sheep of the French political establishment.

"There must be many of my age bracket who would be able to throw light on this if they wished."

* Can you put the record straight? Phone Ceri Garner at Penarth Times on 2070 7234.