Author: Rhys Gregory

With temperatures set to soar in most parts of England and Wales this weekend, the RSPCA is issuing urgent advice, tips and DIY video tutorials to help pet owners keep their furry and feathered friends cool and comfortable. The advice comes as the Met Office predicts temperatures for much of England and Wales will reach in excess of 30°C (86°F) during this week. The soaring temperatures can pose huge risks to pets, wildlife and farm animals, and amid predictions from forecasters of these high temperatures, many pet owners and animal lovers may be concerned about keeping animals safe during the heatwave.…

Planners at Cardiff Council have given their approval to the developers behind The Parish in Capel Llanilltern for plans to construct the next phase of new homes and key community infrastructure.  Persimmon Homes East Wales will now commence work on the site in the north west of the capital city on the next 167 high-quality homes, 62 of which will be reserved for a local housing association. Properties range from one-bed flats to four-bedroom houses. The approval for Phases 4B and 5A also includes the Local Centre, promised during the outline planning stage, which will deliver nearly 19,000 square feet for commercial…

The family of a man who died in a collision that tragically killed him and another couple in Beaumaris, Anglesey have paid tribute to him. Humphrey Pickering was 81 years old and lived in Colwyn Bay. His family described him as a “much-loved husband, father, grand and great-grandfather, brother and uncle” and said he will be “terribly missed by us all.” They also extended their sympathies to the family of The Revered Stephen and Katherine Burch, who were killed after being struck by Mr Pickering’s car in the incident on 28 August 2024. The family said: “Humphrey Pickering was a…

One of the most picturesque rail routes in the UK has shown consistent improvement in performance and reliability for passengers this year. The latest figures for the Heart of Wales line, which connects Swansea with Shrewsbury via Llandrindod Wells, show that the reliability rate of services along the route stood at 97.5% between 22 June and 19 July. During this period, 283 services were scheduled to operate and 276 services ran. There were seven cancellations. Punctuality of these services arriving within 3 minutes of their advertised time also increased to 81.2% up from 64% at the beginning of the year,…

Swansea Council and the Ospreys have agreed to finalise a lease allowing the rugby club to manage the historic St Helen’s ground from the coming months. Council leader Rob Stewart and Ospreys chief executive officer Lance Bradley signed the agreement at the seafront venue on Tuesday this week. The Ospreys plan to make St Helen’s their home and this month secured planning permission to transform the ground into a modern facility with a capacity of more than 8,000. The council’s investment in the transformation remains conditional. Rob Stewart said: “Our agreement to finalise a lease is a further indicator that…

A man who dumped concrete hardcore on Ffordd Amazon in Crymlyn Burrows has appeared before Swansea Magistrates after being traced by Neath Port Talbot Council’s Waste Enforcement Team. Joseph Anthony Salmon, 41, of Willow Court, Newbridge, appeared before Swansea Magistrates Court on Thursday 7th August 2025 for sentence in relation to an offence of illegally depositing controlled waste, contrary to the Environmental Protection Act 1990, having previously pleaded guilty on 24th July 2025. He was ordered to pay costs of £3,025, a victim surcharge of £114 and was given a 12-month Community Order with a requirement that he completes 80…

Important work to rectify damage to a large retaining wall next to the A4058 in Porth will get underway shortly. Residents and road users are assured that the main element of the work, which will require traffic management through a lane closure, will be completed at night to significantly reduce disruption. The pictured retaining wall is positioned next to the A4058 Coedcae Road, between its junctions with Llwyncelyn Road and Brook Street. The large structure also supports Clifton Row, the residential street located above it. A section of the wall has developed a significant bulge, indicating a lack of stability…

The University of South Wales (USW) has announced a groundbreaking Knowledge Transfer Partnership (KTP) with Dragon Recycling Solutions (Dragon RS), a specialist recycling company, to develop intelligent systems which will transform battery recycling. The £197,600 project, led by Dr Nildo Costa – who is the project’s principal investigator and will oversee the knowledge transfer from USW to Dragon RS – will support the creation of a state-of-the-art recycling plant for spent batteries. Based in Tredegar, Dragon RS will work closely with USW to enhance its recycling processes through the integration of smart technologies. Dragon RS currently manages large volumes of…

Strike action by 450 Unite members at Cardiff City Transport Services Ltd, more commonly known as Cardiff Bus, have been suspended to allow them to vote on an improved offer. Workers at the firm including drivers were set to strike from Sunday 17 August until the morning of Sunday 7 September in an ongoing dispute over pay and conditions. Staff at publicly-owned Cardiff Bus had previously rejected an offer which left driver pay below levels in the rest of the UK, while timetabling issues had left workers unable to take proper breaks and workers also had unsatisfactory sickness terms. Cardiff…

Newport Council has announced that headlining the fantastic chef line up at this year’s Newport Food Festival will be TV chef and presenter, Matt Tebbutt. Visitors can watch Matt showcase his culinary skills and even get to taste his creations. Matt will also be joining food festival patron, Hywel Jones, as part of the judging panel for the final of the Teenchef competition which will kick off the chef programme at 10am. Born in south Wales and educated in Newport, Matt owned and ran The Foxhunter restaurant in Nantyderry near Usk in South Wales for over 10 years. The restaurant…