Author: Rhys Gregory

West End and Broadway leading man John Barrowman MBE confirms appearance as a special guest star across select dates on the UK tour of Dreamcoat Stars, a concert featuring artists that have played the role of Joseph in Andrew Lloyd Webber and Tim Rice’s JOSEPH AND THE AMAZING TECHNICOLOR DREAMCOAT. Barrowman, whose Television credits include Doctor Who, Torchwood, Desperate Housewives and Arrow, will appear in Folkestone, Swansea and Stoke-on-trent, as part of the Dreamcoat Stars 2023 autumn tour line-up. Natively from Glasgow Scotland, Barrowman has, through his work on stage and television in both the UK and the US, become one of…

After seven weeks at sea, the Hodge sponsored rowing team Flyin’ Fish is expected to reach Kuaui in Hawaii on August 2nd. The five-strong team taking part in ‘The World’s Toughest Row’ left Monterey Bay in California on June 12th and have been rowing the 2,800 miles to the ‘Garden Island’ of Kauai in Hawaii ever since. Retired solicitor for Abergavenny Elaine Theaker celebrated her 60th birthday on board the boat a few days into the row with a meal of dehydrated fish in parsley sauce and mashed potato, with some well-deserved Haribo sweets for pudding. Just a few days…

A jailed fraudster who bought three Spanish villas after stealing from the taxpayer must pay £1.2 million back or face another seven years in jail. Graham Drury, 71, formerly of Strathalyn, Rossett, Wrexham, was jailed for five-and-a-half years in 2021 after submitting fraudulent VAT returns to HM Revenue and Customs (HMRC). At a hearing in Mold Crown Court on Friday (28 July 2023), Drury was told to pay a £1.2m confiscation order within three months or have seven years added to his prison sentence. Debbie Porter, Operational Lead, Fraud Investigation Service, HMRC, said: “Drury stole almost £2m of taxpayers’ money…

Wales’ largest medieval fortress is set to be transformed over the next three years as work begins on the Caerphilly Castle Regeneration Project. The £10m project is part of a wider investment into Wales’ historic monuments and is due to be complete by Summer 2026. The 13th century castle will benefit from extensive improvements to facilities, visitor experience and conservation – bringing a state-of-the-art welcome centre, brand new café, toilets, and an education room. Of the total investment, £1m has been allocated to develop a new interpretative scheme – telling the fascinating stories of people who built and lived in…

Rugby fans and bus users in Cardiff are being urged to plan their journeys ahead of time as the Summer Series takes place at the Principality Stadium. Customers are being informed by Cardiff Bus of diversions and road closures which are set to come into force on Saturday 5 August from 11:15 until 21:30 as Wales take on England, and again on Saturday 19th August from 11:15 until 21:30 as Wales face off with South Africa. Services running through Cardiff City Centre will be affected, and cross city routes will be split. Services 1, 2, 5 and 7 will start…

A celebrity farmer has launched an urgent appeal to find grey squirrels for an unusual delicacy at a pop up restaurant. Influencer Gareth Wyn Jones, who has a million followers on social media, needs the furry rodents to serve up squirrel burgers at the eatery at the Welsh Game Fair at the Faenol Estate, near Bangor, on the weekend of September 9 and 10. Although he is a keen cook, this will be Gareth’s first time running a restaurant and he reckons the burgers will go down a treat. Gareth, who farms near Llanfairfechan in the foothills of the Carneddau…

The family of a young man who tragically took his own life are on a mission to raise awareness of the help that’s available for people with mental health problems. They are still heartbroken after losing Twm Bryn, from Chwilog, on the Llyn Peninsula, just days after his 21st birthday in October 2021. His parents Bryn and Bethan Jones, paid tribute to the work of the DPJ Foundation that’s dedicated to helping people in rural communities deal with mental health issues. Twm’s death has also inspired Harlech Foodservice, one of Wales’s leading food distribution companies, to support the charity. They…

S4C will broadcast live coverage of this year’s FIM British Speedway Grand Prix in Cardiff on September 2nd, the British leg of Speedway’s world championship. The racing will take place at the Principality Stadium, with 16 of the best Speedway riders in the world battling for a top place on the podium. They will go wheel-to-wheel around the track in 23 high-intensity races, on bikes with one gear and no brakes. The roof of the stadium will be closed for the racing and organisers are promising a very noisy evening full of thrills and spills in the capital city. For…

A trailer firm has teamed up with luxury car maker Bentley to create a new record with a difference – powered by straw. With the help of a tiltbed model from Ifor Williams Trailers, a Bentley Bentayga set a landmark time for the famous hill climb at the Goodwood Festival of Speed in Sussex. Winding its way through the grounds, the challenging course has been the centre of the action since the festival’s inception 30 years ago. The Bentayga EWB (extended wheelbase version) completed the 1.16-mile hill climb in just 1 minute 21 seconds while towing 2.5 tonnes of straw.…

A former yoga teacher and trained beauty therapist is pursuing her passion for producing hand crafted, sustainably sourced aromatherapy products from her home in Pontypool after receiving a Start Up Loan from the British Business Bank. Summer Birbeck, 25, owner of Lila Alchemy, is creating a range of wellbeing products for both body and home, made from 100% natural ingredients and essential oils, including English grown lavender oil, eucalyptus extract and coconut wax. Her products include body oils, pillow sprays, room mists, candles, anti-stress sprays for dogs and her best-seller, poo drops, which are intended to be dropped into the…