Author: Rhys Gregory

Academics are reimagining the historic role of the town crier on Valentine’s Day (Saturday 14 February) as part of a new performance project. Dating back to medieval times, town criers were the chief means of sharing news with people in a town, many of whom were illiterate. The criers rang a bell to make official public announcements in the streets and many would dress elaborately in a red and gold coat, white breeches, black boots and a tricorn hat. Today, the town crier is simply a ceremonial role, with many towns reinstating them for celebrations, charity events and competitions around…

Two men from Bristol have today (Friday, February 13) been sentenced for a shooting in Cardiff. A 15-year-old boy was shot with a 12-bore shotgun through the letterbox of a house on Saturday, June 7, 2025. The victim sustained multiple shotgun wounds to his lower legs. Thankfully, his injuries were non-life threatening, but they could have been more serious had it not been for the internal letterbox guard. Ashley Corbin, 21, and Efekan Karahan, 18, were arrested on June 16 in Bristol following an investigation led by the Major Crime Investigation Team of South Wales Police. Their mobile phones contained messages, voice notes, and…

Two men from Tonypandy have been jailed after pleading guilty to a number of offences, including assault. Kian Davies, 20 from Tonypandy pleaded guilty to robbery, assault, possession of an offensive weapon in a public place and attempted robbery. Shay Jones, 21 from Tonypandy pleaded guilty to robbery, attempted robbery, and assault. There were multiple incidents that happened over a period of three days, the first incident happened on August 7,2025, where Davies hit the victim over the side of the head with a hammer whilst they were sat on a bench, Davies continued to hit the victim over the…

A man from Swansea has been jailed after he took part in sexual communication with who he believed were three underage girls. 43-year-old Adrian Fine, from the city centre, sent sexual messages to three online accounts in March of 2025. The accounts were in fact decoys being run by a ‘paedophile hunter’ group. After pleading guilty to three counts of attempted sexual communications with a child, Fine has been sentenced to 12 months in prison. Detective Constable Kelly Hurley said: “Adrian Fine was fully of the belief that the accounts he was messaging belonged to children. “It remains staggering that…

South Wales Police are at the scene of a collision on the A4063 in Bridgend this morning. The road has been closed in both directions between Ysgol Gyfun Gymraeg Llangynwyd and The Papermills while emergency services deal with the incident. Motorists are being urged to avoid the area and use alternative routes where possible. Delays are expected while the closure remains in place. Police have thanked members of the public for their patience and cooperation. There are no further details at this stage. Updates will be provided as soon as more information becomes available.

Hay Festival has announced the free Schools Programme to open its flagship spring edition in Hay-on-Wye, which takes place 21–31 May 2026. The Schools Programme brings young people up close to award-winning writers, inspiring creatives and influential thinkers for a series of free, interactive events in person and online with support from the Moondance Foundation, Rothschild Foundation and Old Possum’s Practical Trust. KS1 events on Thursday 21 May – a new pilot initiative for 2026 – feature Children’s Laureate Wales Nicola Davies with poet and writer Joseph Coelho. KS2 events on Thursday 21 May feature Bardd Plant Cymru Siôn Tomos…

An international opera star who beat bowel cancer after taking a simple NHS screening test is set to headline a major charity concert in North Wales. Tenor Rhys Meirion, who underwent surgery last year after a tumour was detected early, will lead a fund-raising evening at St Asaph Cathedral in aid of Marie Curie, the UK’s leading end-of-life charity. The celebrated singer will be joined by Côr Meibion Dinbych (Denbigh Male Voice Choir) for the concert at 7pm on Saturday,  April 18 – less than a year after his cancer operation. Owen Barton Davies, of the Johns’ Boys choir, will…

Communities are set to see the benefits of record spending of more than £677.5m on critical council services in the coming year. A report going to Swansea Council’s Cabinet next week highlights how services for school pupils, vulnerable children and older people will all see real improvements as funding increases are set to be well ahead of inflation. On top of this the council is set to introduce a new £10m Economic Growth Fund that would see a £3m boost for road resurfacing projects and tackling potholes. If the budget and EGF plans are approved, it would see more than…

Newport City Council’s cabinet has backed putting forward Caerleon for the first ever UK Town of Culture competition. At its meeting yesterday, cabinet approved development and submission of an expression of interest to the competition. The winning town will receive £3m from the UK government to deliver a year-long programme of cultural events that help tell their unique story and bring the community together. Caerleon’s rich history, strong sense of civic identity, and range of independent businesses, community venues and community-led cultural activity make it the perfect candidate for the Town of Culture competition. Caerleon is internationally recognised as an…

Blaenau Gwent Council is better prepared for weather warnings and has carried out significant infrastructure upgrades in areas previously affected by flooding, the Environmental Management Scrutiny Committee has heard. In addition to this, the Council has been working more closely with communities on resilience and planning, empowering and equipping them to help themselves in times of crisis, inspired by the new Blaenau Gwent Deal. A report to the committee outlined how an independent review carried out after the events of Storm Bert in 2024 made 19 recommendations, highlighting several key areas for improvement. The Council has been committed in its…