Author: Rhys Gregory

A 33-year-old man who set fire to a block of flats has been jailed. Caleb Corr, of Helens Crescent, Pentraeth, appeared at Mold Crown Court on Thursday 31stJuly after admitting to arson with recklessness as to whether life was endangered, affray and criminal damage. During the evening of May 13th, emergency services were called to a report of a fire in a building of flats in Pentraeth. On arrival it was established that Corr had started the fire and was in possession of a knife which hindered fire service colleagues from entering the building to tackle the fire. Officers entered…

A Welshpool-based food company has double reason to celebrate after being recognised with a coveted Great Taste Award and being shortlisted in the UK meat industry’s leading awards. Trailhead Fine Foods creates delicious, GI Welsh Beef products, including Salt Beef and award-winning Get Jerky meaty snacks. It’s the 100 grams pack of slice Salt Beef by Trailhead that has been awarded one star in the Great Taste Awards, the Oscars of the food industry. The product is also one of six finalists shortlisted in the Best Charcuterie Product category of The Meat Management Meat Industry Awards. The winners will be…

Visitors and local residents are being invited to step back in time this summer to discover part of Newtown’s rich industrial history at a free town attraction. Newtown Textile Museum on Commercial Street has something of interest to everyone whether it’s Tapestry Tuesdays, watching a weaver in action or learning about the town’s mail order pioneer Pryce Pryce Jones who supplied knickers to Queen Victoria. Tapestry Tuesdays run from 12pm to 4pm every week where families can get involved in making a small woven item using a cardboard weaving frame and oddments of wool. It’s a relaxed drop in session…

Young people throughout Cardiff are invited to take part in the ION Youth Summer Wellbeing Initiative that is taking place free of charge throughout Cardiff over the summer school holiday period. Sponsored by FW Capital, the programme is run by former Welsh international rugby union player Robin Sowden-Taylor of ION Strength and Conditioning HYROX Cardiff and is in its fourth year. With just 16% of Welsh teens meeting daily activity guidelines the scheme promotes physical exercise for children aged 7-17 years old throughout the summer holidays. Formed in 2021, the ION Youth Summer Wellbeing Initiative has supported over 1,000 children…

Elan Valley Visitor Centre has launched new guided bike tours in the spectacular valley near Rhayader in Mid Wales. A guided, three-hour, bike tour with award winning rider Martyn W. Cassell is being held on Friday, August 8 along Ceidwad to Caban route. Riders over the age of 18 will enjoy a breathtaking mountain bike adventure through the heart of the Elan Valley. Quiet village lanes lead to bridleways above Caban Coch Reservoir, offering stunning views of the Claerwen and Elan valleys. The route continues along a grassy ridge, across moorland and streams with a steep climb followed by a long and…

Admiral and Welsh ICE have announced the launch of Admiral Launchpad, an exciting, fully funded eight-week evening business course delivered in partnership with Admiral. Running from 11th September to 30th October at Tŷ Admiral in Cardiff, this programme is designed to support aspiring entrepreneurs. With a strong emphasis on inclusion and accessibility, Admiral Launchpad is open to anyone aged 18 and over, regardless of whether they have a fully formed business idea. The programme combines expert-led workshops, weekly 1-1 mentoring, and blended learning options (in-person or online) to help participants gain practical tools, build confidence, and establish valuable connections. As…

The new development will replace the existing Ysgol Gynradd Gymraeg Rhosafan and the Tir Morfa training centre, which will be demolished once the new facilities are completed. The project will deliver a modern, environmentally sustainable learning environment for up to 511 pupils, including nursery and childcare provision, an Additional Learning Needs (ALN) Unit, and part-day places for a Welsh Immersion Unit (WIU). The development will feature a part single-storey and part two-storey school building, complete with a sports pitch, multi-use games area (MUGA), play areas, highway and access improvements, extensive landscaping, and associated works. The new school will offer high-quality…

Newport City Council is continuing its crackdown on illegal fly-tipping in the city. Between April and June this year, the council’s waste enforcement and engagement team issued 50 fines to individuals for fly-tipping and other waste-related offences, totalling £14,700. This represents an increase from the 35 fines handed out during the same period last year. The total number of fly-tipping incidents has also continued to fall, with figures for April to June showing a reduction of around 10.4 per cent compared to 2024. This follows a broader trend seen from April 2024 to March 2025, during which incidents dropped by…

World-class cycling returns to Caerphilly County Borough next month as Stage 6 of the Lloyds Tour of Britain Men races from Newport to Cardiff via Caerphilly County Borough on Sunday 7th September. The stage will feature the world’s top professional riders including Geraint Thomas’s final appearance in a road race. There will be several opportunities to support the riders with approximate timings having been released: Start  Newport (Geraint Thomas National Velodrome): 11:45 Pontymister: 12:06 Wattsville: 12:14 Blackwood: 12:26 Crumlin: 12:37 Markham: 13:14 Rhymney: 13:32 Deri: 13:53 Bargoed: 13:59 Nelson: 14:11 Ystrad Mynach: 14:17 Caerphilly: 14:26 Cardiff: 14:45 Finish Times are…

Crews have begun the long-awaited restoration of Pont-Y-Cafnau bridge, a remarkable piece of industrial heritage that has stood as a testament to Welsh ingenuity for over two centuries. These works, commencing Monday 4 August, are scheduled to complete by Autumn 2025. The ambitious project, backed by a £4.5 million joint investment from the Welsh Government through Cadw and Merthyr Tydfil County Borough Council, marks the beginning of a new chapter for what’s believed to be the world’s oldest surviving iron railway bridge. Built in 1793 by the pioneering Cyfarthfa Ironworks Company, this isn’t just any bridge – it’s a marvel…