Author: Rhys Gregory

Children’s charity Cerebra has unveiled an innovative solution to improve accessibility in skateboarding inspired by a little boy who was “desperate” to skate. The harnessing system was revealed on the latest leg of Relay Your Way, a mass participation relay across Scotland, England, and Wales involving more than 9,000 school children, participants, and supporters. Cerebra, the national UK charity dedicated to supporting children who have a neurological condition, created Relay Your Way to promote inclusivity in sports and ensure that no child is left on the sidelines. Over 33 days, from Glasgow to Windsor, the baton will journey through towns…

Costa Coffee has celebrated the opening of its brand-new Drive Thru store in Ebbw Vale. The new Ebbw Vale Costa Coffee store offers customers a bright and welcoming environment, perfect for those morning meet ups, weekend catch ups or afternoon escapes. Modern features can be found throughout, including digital menu boards and comfortable indoor and outdoor seating areas – making it a great spot to unwind or catch up with friends over a delicious cup of coffee. For those on the go, the convenient drive-thru lane provides a quick and easy way to pick up your favourite drink and food. There…

A woman who had brain surgery just last year will be taking on the Brecon Carreg Porthcawl 10K to show herself just what she’s capable of. Julie Summers, 59, first started feeling unwell in 2019. She later found out she had a condition called trigeminal neuralgia – a chronic pain disorder that causes severe facial pain in sudden attacks. It turned her life upside down. The quality inspector from Penygraig said: “It started off quite mildly at first with my jaw not fitting together but then it started to get more painful. I went to the dentist and then the…

As Wales’ capital prepares to host a series of major music acts this summer, reporter Steffan Powell is looking into the murky world of ticket touts for new BBC Cymru Wales programme, The Great Ticket Rip-Off, airing on BBC One Wales and iPlayer on Thursday 26 June. The programme has found that ticket touts are employing huge teams of people overseas, known as “ticket pullers”, to bulk-buy thousands of tickets for UK concerts like Oasis and Taylor Swift as soon as they go on sale so they can be sold on for huge profits. The BBC investigation reveals that these…

Two quick-thinking district nurses are being hailed as heroes after saving an 89-year-old man from a chip pan fire in his home. Paula Phillips and Karen Davies, both district nurses with Aneurin Bevan University Health Board, arrived at the home of Rhys Bevan on Bryn Road, Pontllanfraith, at around 9.30pm on Wednesday 12th June to provide medical care. But what they found was far from routine. Mr Bevan, who was sitting in the living room with his dog, was unaware of the fire that had broken out in his kitchen. His fire alarms were sounding, but he believed the noise…

Scottish rock icons Texas pay tribute to The Alarm’s Mike Peters during Llangollen headline show.  Scottish rock icons Texas brought their unmistakable sound to North Wales as they launched a summer season of live music at TK Maxx Presents Live at Llangollen Pavilion. It’s been 36 years since they burst onto the music scene with their debut hit I Don’t Want A Lover, and the band, fronted by Sharleen Spiteri, were on top form as they kicked off the night with that very song. A 90-minute set followed, packed with hit after hit – including Halo, Hi, In Our Lifetime,…

A drug dealer from Bridgend has been jailed for over two years following an investigation by South Wales Police. Curtis Baker, aged 25, of Pencoed, appeared at Cardiff Crown Court for sentencing on June 19 after pleading guilty to Possession with intent to supply a controlled drug of Class A (Cocaine). He was sentenced to a total of two years and four months for the offence. On June 6, 2024 at around 10.20pm, officers from the Organised Crime Unit were on patrol in Bridgend when Baker’s driving caught their attention. He was then spotted stopping for a short while, making…

Residents, schoolchildren, voluntary action groups, stakeholders, and dignitaries recently celebrated the official launch of the newly enhanced access arrangements at Bedford Park Nature Reserve, which envelopes 18 hectares of green space and ruins of the 18th century Cefn Cribwr Ironworks. Councillor Huw David, Mayor of Bridgend County Borough Council, welcomed guests to the event which featured lively and heartfelt performances from pupils at Mynydd Cynffig, Cefn Cribwr Primary Schools, and Ysgol y Ferch o’r Sger. The learners brought the site’s heritage to life through song and recital inspired by John Bedford, the ironmaster who established the ironworks at Cefn Cribwr.…

A Swansea business leader has praised the ongoing £1bn regeneration of the city centre. James Smale-Davies, an associate director at RJ Chartered Surveyors, says continuous investment shows Swansea is a city that’s serious about growing its economy. Developed by Swansea Council, regeneration schemes which are either complete, ongoing or planned include Swansea Arena, the 71/72 Kingsway development and the new office building set for construction at the former St David’s Shopping Centre site. Led by the private sector, other city centre schemes include the Princess Quarter office project developed by Kartay Investments and the biophilic building project being developed by…

Neath Port Talbot Council trading standards officers are warning that suspected counterfeit versions of a popular brand of collectible toy ‘monster elves’ have been seized from a shop in the county borough. The council’s Trading Standards Team is constantly on the lookout for counterfeit goods and products which flout safety legislation. In the case of toys, these could pose serious dangers for children. The Labubu brand toy elves were seized from an undisclosed outlet in Neath Port Talbot and are currently being examined. In the meantime, the Trading Standards Team is offering the following advice to consumers to ensure they…