Author: Rhys Gregory

Over 300 children, parents and teachers took to the streets for a school run with a difference. Organised by Sustrans, the UK’s largest walking, wheeling and cycling charity, children from Cardiff’s Radnor Primary School, Ysgol Treganna and Ysgol Pwll Coch on the biggest ever FRideDays Bike Bus. They were joined by Sam ‘Coach’ Balto, the American PE teacher who became a household name when he convinced Justin Timberlake to join his bike bus in Portland, Oregon. Coach Balto is leading the way in this fast-growing movement. Sustrans supports communities to organise Bike Buses through its FRideDays initiative, which is sponsored…

The Chartered Trading Standards Institute (CTSI) has welcomed the BBC’s investigation into the prevalence of fake shops on Britain’s High Streets and highlighting their link with organised crime. Counterfeit shops are becoming an increasing issue for the UK’s Trading Standards workforce and are a scourge of the high street, sometimes used as a front for organised crime activities such as Modern Day Slavery and human trafficking, distribution of weapons and drugs, money laundering and the sale and supply of illegal and unsafe products such as illegal vapes and tobacco, to fund criminal lifestyles and other criminal activities. CTSI has warned…

With the bank holiday Easter weekend fast approaching, Dogs Trust Bridgend and Dogs Trust Cardiff are reminding dog owners to keep chocolate out of reach of our four-legged friends. As Easter eggs and other tasty cocoa treats find their way into homes, the charity hopes to raise awareness of the risk that the consumption of chocolate poses to our canine companions. Chocolate is poisonous to dogs as it contains a substance called theobromine, which dogs and some other animals struggle to metabolise. Symptoms of theobromine poisoning include vomiting, diarrhoea, excessive thirst, excitability, drooling, and potentially seizures and fatal heart problems.…

A timely room inspection by a hotel housekeeper led to the demise of two Cardiff drug dealers. Keiran McCoy, 20, and Zack Tawton, 21, had checked into the Ibis Cardiff Gate hotel for five days under false name on September 5, 2024. On September 7, they left their room only for a housekeeper stumble upon their drugs operation. Cocaine had been left on the hotel dresser and golf-ball-size packages were on the floor, along with more than 100 grip seal bags of the class A drug. Quick-thinking staff at the hotel managed to capture video footage of their whole operation…

Three arrests have been made after two large cannabis cultivations were discovered in Wrexham this week. On Sunday, 6 April, police were notified of a sophisticated cannabis farm at a premises on Conery Lane, Bronnington, Whichurch. A warrant was subsequently carried out by police and upon entering the building, over 2,000 plants were located inside. Two men were arrested at the scene but have since been released. A number of items have been seized whilst our investigations continue. On Tuesday, 8 April, officers carried out another warrant at a premises on Advance Park Industrial Estate in Rhosymedre and discovered another…

The Vale of Glamorgan Council has completed work on the first 10 of an additional 31 new homes on the Clos Holm View development in Barry. The new homes play an important role in the Council’s ongoing house-building programme as it works to address a growing need for housing in the Vale. Cllr Sandra Perkes, Vale of Glamorgan Council Cabinet Member for Public Sector Housing and Tenant Engagement, said: “As a Council, we strive to make the Vale a fantastic place to live, and we want all residents to have access to good quality homes. “The new development consists of…

The countdown to VE Day is on and Swansea residents can get involved by throwing their own street parties. The council has waived road closure fees for locals who want to close off their street for street parties to celebrate the 80th anniversary of the end of World War II. The move is part of a range of celebrations and commemorations being staged and supported by the council over the summer between Victory in Europe Day on May 8 and Victory in Japan Day on August 15. Rob Stewart, Leader of the Council, said: “Owing to the Covid pandemic, we…

Advanced notice is given for important resurfacing at the A4059 Quarter Mile Junction in Abercynon, over four days in the school Easter holiday (April 22-25). Through traffic on the A4059 will be maintained with two-way traffic lights, while the junction will be out of use for traffic heading to and from Abercynon. The Council’s contractor will deliver the work, from 9am to 3pm on Tuesday, April 22, to Friday, April 25. It is scheduled in the school holiday, and outside of peak travel hours, to minimise disruption. All traffic management will be lifted outside of the hours of work. The…

TWO women have admitted keeping a pet boarding business without a licence and unfair trading. Deborah Jane Edwards and Lydia Perkins, both from Risca, pleaded guilty when they appeared at Newport Magistrates’ Court. Caerphilly County Borough Council has successfully prosecuted both Deborah Edwards (aged 64) of Cwrt Yr Ysgol, Risca and her daughter Lydia Perkins (aged 34) of Ty Isaf Park Road, Risca for operating an unlicensed dog boarding establishment contrary to the Animal Boarding Establishments Act 1963 and for engaging in a commercial practice which contravened the requirements of professional diligence, contrary to The Consumer Protection from Unfair Trading…

£110 million has been announced for local authorities to improve local transport across Wales. This major investment from the Welsh Government  will help people get around more easily and help make better transport accessible for everyone. The grants will fund projects that: improve the condition of local roads and address disruptions caused by severe weather; pilot new bus services and upgrade bus journey times and waiting facilities; create inclusive streets that make it easier for people to walk, wheel and cycle; install more publicly available electric vehicle charging points; create safer routes for children to travel to schools; and improve…