ANGRY parents of boys who use the Wiltshire School of Gymnastics are fighting to get top coach Levente Molnar-Schondorfer re-instated.

Mr Molnar-Schondorfer was made redundant suddenly by the gym's trustees in an effort to save money.

The coach, who moved from Romania with his wife and two young children to become teach at the Melksham-based gym in February 2002, was taken into a mat cupboard and told his services were no longer wanted before a meeting was held with parents on November 10.

Following the treatment of Mr Molnar-Schondorfer, 50 parents have formed an action group and are calling on the trustees to give him his job back.

They are also lobbying the Charity Commission to investigate the running of the gym and the gym's finances.

Action group member Dawn Morrell, of Bath Road, Devizes, credits Mr Molnar-Schondorfer with transforming her 13-year-old son Edward's gymnastic skills.

Mrs Morrell, a corporate performance officer, said: "Edward got into the South West gymnastics squad which he never would have done if Levente had not been there."

Edward together with Joel Baxter, 14, were the two representatives from the gym in the four person South West squad, which came third in the national championships last year.

Mrs Morrell said: "Since Levente has been at the gym the boys' standards have really increased.

"Edward is absolutely gutted that Levente will no longer be there. He loves his gymnastics and trains there six days a week but he is undecided about whether he will continue to use the gym."

Mrs Morrell added: "We want to pursue a vote of no confidence in the gym's trustees."

Trustees Julian Lander and Angie Baxter resigned in protest at the redundancy of Mr Molnar-Schondorfer.

Mr Lander, who lives in Bromham, and whose 11-year-old daughter and eight-year-old son attend the gym, said: "I believe the current group of trustees has completely lost creditability. I cannot understand why the gym has an operating loss.

"We will be asking the Charity Commission to conduct a thorough audit of the policies and procedures of the running of the gym."

Mr Molnar-Schondorfer has taken legal advice and is considering his position. His visa is due to expire in January and Mr Lander said it looked unlikely the coach would be able to secure work in his home country.

He said: "Levente is suffering from stress as a result of being made redundant. The Romanian Government has told him they will not take him back to coach gymnastics so he doesn't know what he is going to do."

Trustee Colin Harrison said the trustees were sad to make Mr Molnar-Schondorfer redundant.

Mr Harrison, who lives in Melksham, said: "In the last year we have had an operating loss of £20,000 and we had to look at ways of pulling ourselves back into line.

"It was a financial decision and we took the action for the benefit of the whole club."

A part-time temporary boys' coach started at the gym this week and will be there until Christmas after which the position will be reviewed.

Mr Harrison said fees would increase by about ten per cent next month.

Mr Molnar-Schondorfer was a bronze medallist in the pommel horse and rings disciplines in the 1982 junior European championships.

A year later he came joint seventh in the rings discipline at the World Championships at Budapest.