Author: Rhys Gregory

In November 2022, officers on patrol in an unmarked police car from the Organised Crime Unit witnessed a drug deal between Chris Dowse, 45 and another person. Officers approached Dowse, who refused to provide details and attempted to get away. He was eventually detained, and incriminating evidence was found including a white substance as well as a message on Dowse’s phone that was drug related. Search warrants were then conducted at Dowse’s home where further evidence relating to the supply of drugs was seized, including, a set of black digital scales, cocaine, and a further two phones. These phones also…

In an exciting development for guests and locals, The Esplanade, a charming beach-front hotel, has announced a comprehensive £500,000 renovation project to transform its 600 sq. m ground floor! The renovations will include the creation of a brand-new restaurant and bar, a new kitchen, a modernised reception area, and a newly designed outdoor dining space. Starting shortly in November, the project is expected to take approximately five months to complete, with an estimated completion date of April 2024. This extensive refurbishment aims to enhance the overall guest experience, providing visitors with an even more welcoming and comfortable environment. The hotel’s…

Chris Tombs, the former Cardiff Blues Senior Performance coach, has moved into a full-time role at Sam Warburton’s SW7 Academy. Chris, who has over 28 years’ experience as a Strength and Conditioning coach, will continue his work with a team of experts at SW7, who provide elite level training to help maximise athletic performance through advanced S&C programmes. He has previously worked with England Women’s Rugby, Leicester Tigers and Northamptonshire County Cricket Club, and has extensive experience of working overseas with the USA Women’s and Men’s 7s and 15s Rugby teams, as well as a Performance Consultant with the Seattle…

The founder of a Flintshire dog rescue charity is warning against buying dogs from unregistered breeders as she cares for a five-year-old English bulldog which has given birth to up to eight litters of puppies. Dawn Ann Taylor, who runs Skylor’s Animal Rescue in Dobshill, near Buckley, is taking care of Phoebe, the bulldog, who is already suffering from arthritis after being kept on a puppy farm before being abandoned on the streets. Phoebe’s pups could have been worth over £5,000 each on the market but inbreeding to enhance her powerful physique has left her unable to give birth naturally…

The origin of the largest “bluestone” at the heart of Stonehenge has been thrown into doubt by Aberystwyth University research. For the past 100 years, the 6-tonne Altar Stone was believed to have come from Old Red Sandstone in south Wales. This was assumed to be close to the Preseli hills in west Wales where the majority of Stonehenge’s world-renowned ‘bluestones’ came from. Formed when molten rock crystallised, the Pembrokeshire bluestones are believed to have been among the first erected at the Wiltshire site around 5000 years ago. The Altar Stone, a sandstone, has traditionally been grouped with the other,…

The South Wales Miners’ Library is celebrating half a century of collecting and preserving crucial memories of the region’s proud industrial past. Based at Swansea University, the South Wales Miners’ Library marks its 50th anniversary on Friday, October 20 by hosting the Rhys Davies Lecture at the South Wales Miners’ Library, which this year is being held at the Great Hall of the Bay Campus at 6.30pm. Delivered by John Willgoose – better known as J.Willgoose Esq, frontman of band Public Service Broadcasting – the free lecture is entitled Fifty Years at the South Wales Miners’ Library: telling the story…

Gemma Grainger has announced her 26-player Cymru squad for the away double header UEFA Women’s Nations League matches against Germany (Friday 27 October) and Denmark (Tuesday 31 October). Hannah Cain returns to the squad after missing out on last month’s matches due to injury, while the uncapped Josie Longhurst receives a call-up. Longhurst has been involved in previous squads and has been capped at U17 and U19 level. The fixtures are part of the first ever UEFA Women’s Nations League competition, where Cymru will face Iceland, Denmark and Germany in League A. The competition is also a potential opportunity for…

Wales’s largest alternative network provider – Ogi – is set to bring high-capacity connectivity to Wales, in a multimillion-pound project, utilising the Welsh Government-owned M4 motorway and trunk road network. A new concession agreement held between the Welsh Government and Ogi is set to see the Welsh infrastructure provider bring new dark fibre and microduct products into the south east region of Wales, boosting capacity and resilience for the likes of carriers, hyper-scalers, datacentres and Internet Service Providers looking to expand across Wales, England and Ireland. Once finished early next year [2024] the new network will be capable of moving…

The Met Office has issued an Amber warning as Storm Babet approaches and will bring disruptive rain and strong winds in the coming days. The influence of Storm Babet will begin to be felt late on Tuesday and into Wednesday as heavy and, in places, disruptive rainfall will move in from the south and west, impacting Northern Ireland and much of England and Wales. As the rain moves northwards it will stall across central and eastern parts of Scotland where the rain will become heavy and persistent from Thursday through to Saturday. There is an Amber Severe Weather Warning for rain for…

Caerphilly Council have announced a full line-up of festive events for the 2023 Christmas season. This year will see popular food and craft fairs return throughout November and December. There will also be an opportunity for people to make their own lanterns in the lead up to the annual lantern parade in the borough. For more details, find your nearest workshop in the list below. Ystrad Mynach Winter Food & Craft Fair Saturday 18th November Bedwlwyn Road and Oakfield Street, Ystrad Mynach, CF82 7AA 9am-5pm Facebook event: https://buff.ly/3PrGCe9 River of Light Lantern-Making Workshops Saturday 18th & Sunday 19th November The…