Author: Rhys Gregory

It’s been confirmed Aberavon Beach is keeping its Seaside Award from Keep Wales Tidy. The blue and yellow flag is only awarded to coastal stretches which are clean, attractive and well-managed. The annual Seaside Awards play a vital role in protecting precious marine environment across Wales and are recognised around the world as a symbol of quality. Award-winning beaches must meet and maintain the highest environmental and safety standards. Cabinet Member for Climate Change and Tourism, Councillor Cen Phillips said: “This is fantastic news for anyone who lives near, or visits, Aberavon Beach. The 3-mile stretch has lots on offer,…

Cllr Tessa Hodgson has been elected as the new Leader of Pembrokeshire County Council. Cllr Hodgson was elected as Leader at the Annual General Meeting of Council held on Friday May 15th and succeeds Cllr Jon Harvey who did not seek re-election as Leader. Cllr Hodgson is the first female Leader of Pembrokeshire County Council and represents the Lamphey Ward. Cllr Hodgson said: “It is a great honour to have been elected Leader of Pembrokeshire County Council. I thank Cllrs Tinley and Clements for also putting themselves forward and Cllrs Alderman and Williams for proposing and seconding me. “It is…

Heolddu Comprehensive School is celebrating a highly positive Estyn inspection report, which praises its inclusive community, strong relationships and effective support in helping all pupils progress. The report highlights the caring and inclusive community where pupils feel safe, valued and well supported to succeed. Estyn commended the strong culture of positive relationships across the school, with pupils showing respect towards staff, visitors and one another, and approaching their learning with diligence. Many pupils, including those with additional learning needs, develop independence and make appropriate progress, supported by staff who have a clear understanding of individual needs and provide effective academic…

Two play parks in Chepstow have officially reopened following major upgrade works aimed at creating more inclusive and engaging spaces for local children and families. Monmouthshire County Council has confirmed that redevelopment works at the play parks on Western Avenue and Piggy’s Hill have now been completed, with both sites redesigned to cater for a wider range of ages. The council said the new layouts were shaped through feedback gathered from parents and children via online surveys on Let’s Talk Monmouthshire, as well as direct engagement during the Food and Fun summer programme. Officials said the response from the community…

A county councillor from Llanbister has been appointed as the new Chair of Powys County Council. Cllr Geoff Morgan, who represents the Ithon Valley ward, was elected to the role during the council’s annual general meeting on Thursday, May 14. He succeeds Cllr William Powell, the local member for the Talgarth ward, who previously held the position. At the same meeting, Cllr Danny Bebb, local member for Churchstoke, was elected as Vice Chair of the council. Cllr Peter James, local member for Llanwrtyd Wells, was also elected as Assistant Vice Chair.

A Cardiff man has been sentenced to more than 14 years for manslaughter after assaulting a Tredegar man outside a pub in Ebbw Vale. Kyle O’Callaghan, 30, pleaded guilty to the manslaughter of 37-year-old Marcus Lee Carpenter, who died following the assault on Bethcar Street in February this year. O’Callaghan received a sentence of 10-and-half-years imprisonment, with an extended licence period of four years, at Newport Crown Court on Friday 15 May. Detective Chief Inspector Neil Blyth, the senior investigating officer, said: “I’d like to pay tribute to the friends and family of Mr Carpenter who showed great strength and…

Dean Edwards has been jailed for a rape committed almost 20 years ago. The victim bravely came forward in 2023 after learning Edwards was serving a prison sentence for another rape. He protested his innocence but was found guilty following a trial at Cardiff Crown Court. On Monday, May 11, 2026, Edwards was sentenced at Cardiff Crown Court to eight years imprisonment, with an extended licence period of four years. The 48-year-old was also made subject to sex offender notification requirements and a restraining order indefinitely. The court heard the rape was committed in the woman’s house while Edwards was…

A bride swapped the traditional wedding car for a train journey on the South Wales Metro last weekend, as she travelled to her ceremony in Penarth alongside her bridal party. Bethan boarded the “Love Train” from Birchgrove to Penarth on Saturday ahead of her wedding to Chris at Penarth Pier Pavilion, turning heads among fellow passengers travelling on the Coryton line. The couple, who are regular users of the route, said they wanted to include the railway service in their big day after seeing the transformation of the South Wales Metro network in recent years. Bethan said: “Right from the…

Drivers are being warned of planned overnight closures on the A40 at Maesgwyn later this month and again in June, with diversions set to be in place for traffic travelling between Llandovery and Sennybridge. According to Traffic Wales, the A40 will be closed in both directions at Maesgwyn from 8pm until 6am across two separate periods to allow works to take place. The first closure is scheduled from Tuesday 19 May until Thursday 21 May 2026, with the road shut overnight between 8pm and 6am. A second overnight closure will then take place from Monday 1 June until Tuesday 2…

The first few days rarely cause problems. You have: small bases simple crafting stations limited storage only a few active Pals So even weaker setups can survive that stage. But then somebody unlocks electricity. And that changes everything. Now mining Pals never stop working. Conveyors move resources all day. Furnaces stay active constantly. Players start hoarding materials because everybody suddenly needs ingots, ammo, polymer, and high-tier gear at the same time. So what happened? The server starts tracking way more actions behind the scenes. Not all at once. Slowly. At first it’s tiny lag spikes during combat. Then players start…