Author: Rhys Gregory

A man who casually brandished a firearm at a group of teenagers in McDonalds, before aiming it at a police officer responding to the incident, has been jailed. Jacob Jenkins caught the attention of the youths at the Tonypandy fast food restaurant on May 2, as they noticed he was wearing a stab-proof vest under his coat and was staring at them. One of the group asked the 29-year-old if he was a police officer, to which he replied “marines” before showing them a pistol he was carrying. Concerned for their safety the group then left the restaurant before reporting…

A 32-year-old man has been jailed for the rape of a schoolgirl. Ursaloan Ansari, of Birch Road, Manchester, denied the offence but was found guilty by a jury at Mold Crown Court last month. Ansari drugged the victim, who cannot be named for legal reasons, before raping her at a property in Rhos-on-Sea in January 2022. He was sentenced at Mold Crown Court yesterday (Monday, 4 August) to ten years in prison. He was subject to sex offenders register notification requirements for life and handed a 10-year restraining order to protect the victim. He was also issued an indefinite sexual harm…

The Vale of Glamorgan Council has unveiled a range of state-of-the-art exercise equipment that is to be used by residents who have been referred to the National Exercise Referral Scheme (NERS). The NERS scheme helps people over the age of 16 who are inactive or who live with chronic diseases to engage with physical activity. The new kit was secured by nearly £100,000 from the UK Government’s Shared Prosperity Fund, and includes a number of resistance machines which are designed to help residents build up their strength over time. NERS is delivered by the Vale of Glamorgan Council’s trained Exercise…

Swansea Council’s cleansing teams are piloting a brand new way to help keep rural communities tidy. New technology being trialled in rural communities means that full litter bins are emptied in time while saving staff from making long distance visits to those that turn out to be mostly empty. And it’s all thanks to clever new sensors fitted to bins that send a message to Cleansing Services staff telling them how full they are without having to set eyes on them. Cyril Anderson, Cabinet Member for Community Services said: “The sensors are a win-win all round. For residents there’s less…

A special meeting of Neath Port Talbot Council’s Cabinet has decided to revert to free parking in laybys along Princess Margaret Way on the popular Aberavon Seafront. At the meeting, on Monday, August 4th, 2025, Cabinet Members said the strength of feeling about the imposition of charges expressed by residents, local businesses and community groups meant free lay-by parking should return as soon as possible. The transition to free layby parking will first require the removal of existing signage and the official reversal of the summertime layby parking charges. Then, new traffic regulations will be put in place giving free…

A free open-air cinema festival is set to bring film favourites and entertainment to the heart of Newport from 9–12 August. Wonder Cinema will take over the former leisure centre site near Kingsway car park, transforming it into a pop-up movie haven. With support from Newport City Council and UK government funding, 400 tickets will be available free of charge for each performance. The film line-up includes Mamma Mia on 9 August, Dirty Dancing on 10 August, and Wicked on 11 August – each accompanied by live vocal entertainment beforehand. The festival will conclude in spectacular fashion on 12 August…

Caerphilly County Borough Council has been ranked in the top 10 local authorities in Wales for climate action, in the recently published Council Climate Action Scorecards. The Council achieved a score of 38%, an increase of 8% compared to last year’s results. The Climate Action Scorecards, assessed by Climate Emergency UK, evaluate how effectively councils are progressing towards Net Zero. Caerphilly Council showed improvement in six out of seven assessed areas, which include building and heating, transport, planning and land use, governance and finance, biodiversity, collaboration and engagement, and waste reduction and food. Cllr Jamie Pritchard, Deputy Leader and Cabinet…

A new bus service connecting communities between Rhyl and Wrexham, as part of Network North Wales, is set to begin from September. It will include an hourly bus service between Ruthin and Wrexham, an upgrade from the current two hourly service, and an hourly service between Wrexham and Rhyl on a Sunday. Ken Skates, Cabinet Secretary for Transport and North Wales joined Transport for Wales (TfW) at the National Eisteddfod in Wrexham to announce the launch of the new TrawsCymru T51. Replacing the existing 51/X51 services, the new T51 service will begin operating at the end of September this year…

City Hospice’s Forever Flowers display has returned to Cardiff Castle for a fifth consecutive year. The display opened to the public on Saturday (2 August) and features this year’s Forever Flower which is the daffodil, Wales’ national flower, symbolising hope, resilience and new beginnings for many. Expertly crafted by the British Ironwork Centre, these unique and lasting tributes will be on display in the grounds of Cardiff Castle until 10 August. As part of this year’s event, local schools have contributed 400 pieces of artwork to create a ‘Garden of Memories’, a special art project showcasing pupils’ collaborative designs on…

Powys has officially joined the Fast Track Cities initiative, becoming the latest region in Wales to sign the Paris Declaration – committing to ending new HIV transmissions by 2030. The announcement was made at the Royal Welsh Show, in the presence of Jeremy Miles, Cabinet Secretary for Health and Social Care, marking a historic milestone that makes Wales the first Fast Track Nation in the world. The signing of the Paris Declaration celebrated not only policy alignment but also shared values, resilience, and a forward-looking vision for public health across Wales. The Fast Track Powys initiative is a multi-agency partnership…