A solicitor has been approached by protesters in Carmarthenshire to look at a possible legal challenge against the appointment of an education director for the county.

The news emerged as a leading education expert, and government advisor on schools spoke out on the issue.

Professor David Reynolds, of Exeter University, says the current director, Keith Davies is one of the best in England and Wales.

Mr Davies was one of six applicants for the post of education and community services director, but councillors decided not to consider him.

They felt Mr Davies did not have the necessary skills for the job.

Leaders of Carmarthenshire Council assured demonstrators that there would be a Welsh-speaking interim director of education for the county.

Solicitor Michael Jones said it may be sensible as a long-term option to appoint a new director but was unhappy with the issue of a temporary appointment.

'Not reasonable'

"It is not reasonable to say there is need to hurry to appoint an interim director when we already have a director in the post."

There has still been no formal decision on the post from the council's ratification committee, which was delayed by protest for more than an hour-and- a-half on Monday.

Members are due to re-convene on Friday to try and resolve the issue.

Last week, members agreed to delay the appointment of a director who did not speak Welsh following demonstrations from an action group.

The authority - in an area with the largest number of Welsh speakers in Wales - originally appointed former director of education for Kensington and Chelsea Michael Stoten, having rejected six Welsh-speaking candidates.

Now the Welsh Language Board is carrying out an inquiry to establish whether the council was in breach of the Welsh Language Act.

Protests

But following protests last week, councillors pleaded for suitably qualified people to come forward.

Since then, at least one new name has entered the frame.

John Ellis, who was director of education for Dyfed until 1996, says he is prepared to consider an invitation to apply.

But that might depend on what happens to the current education director Keith Davies - still the candidate preferred by many including the teaching unions.

If there is no agreement on a new Welsh-speaking candidate, councillors could proceed with their original plan and offer the job to Mr Stoten.