Author: Rhys Gregory

This story is also available in Welsh – click here to read it. A new poll, conducted by Survation on behalf of Aberystwyth University and Newyddion S4C, places Reform UK slightly ahead of Plaid Cymru in voting intention ahead of the Senedd election. The results suggest a tightly contested race, with Reform UK on 30% and Plaid Cymru on 28%. Labour follows on 15%, while both the Conservatives and the Green Party are on 10%, Liberal Democrats on 4%, and 4% selecting another party. Dr Anwen Elias from Aberystwyth University, who led the analysis of the opinion poll, said: “These findings point to…

We’ve all been there: staring at a drooping houseplant, completely unsure if it needs more water, less water, or just a different spot in the living room. Today, plant care brand Plant With Willow is ending the guesswork with a simple, £35 smart sensor that translates what your plants are feeling into clear, actionable notifications on your phone. While our homes have gotten smarter with automated heating and lighting, plant care has remained a frustrating game of trial and error. The Willow Sensor changes that. By sitting discreetly in the soil, it monitors the five things that actually keep plants alive:…

Cardiff shoppers can spot a retail craze a mile off. First comes the social media whisper, then the shopfront photo, then the friend who “just pops into town” and comes back with a bag, a receipt and a suspiciously serious new hobby. This time, it is not trainers or viral beauty buys causing the fuss. It is the tiny, shiny, slightly chaotic world of collectible figures. Pop-culture collecting has moved from bedroom shelves and convention halls into everyday shopping habits. Fans are browsing shelves, comparing releases online and looking for characters linked to films, TV, anime, games and music, while…

Sixteen motorbikes and off-road bikes have been seized around Swansea as part of a policing operation. Op Akalat is an operation which cracks down on the illegal and anti-social use of off-road bikes, stolen cars/bikes, and drug dealing, issues which increase policing demand in Swansea. These issues have a detrimental effect on our communities, and have all been consistently raised by residents as having a negative impact on quality of life, public safety and confidence in policing. During the operation activity which took place on Friday April 24, officers utilised the NPAS fixed-wing aircraft, numerous off-road/illegal bikes were sighted around…

A woman from Neath Port Talbot has been jailed after deliberately running over a man in her car and then failing to stop. In the early hours of October 23, 2025, 59-year-old Louise Blackwell, from Port Talbot, was witnessed dropping off the victim on Margam Road before driving off, then turning around and driving into the victim at speed while the victim was crossing the road. Blackwell showed no signs of slowing down as she then fled the scene in her vehicle. A South Wales Police investigation discovered that Blackwell was driving whilst intoxicated at the time of the incident.…

The champions of the Welsh property industry were officially crowned on Thursday evening at the glittering 2026 Welsh Estate Agency Awards (WEAA). Held at the iconic Hilton Hotel in Cardiff, the event brought together the nation’s top agencies to celebrate excellence and innovation in what has proven to be the most competitive year in the ceremony’s history. The winners of the 2026 Welsh Estate Agency Awards are as follows: Residential Estate Agency of the Year Winner: Cardigan Bay Properties Silver Award Winner: Harris & Birt Residential Lettings Agency of the Year  Winner: Perfect Pads Silver Award Winner: FBM Estate &…

A father-of-two from Wiltshire who lost an incredible 11 stone, is now set to take on the 2026 Barry Island 10K after completing the race for the first time last year. Freddie Taylor, who is originally from London, decided to turn his life around after battling Covid-19 in February 2022. The 42-year-old said: “I was just over 24 stone when I got Covid in 2022. I could barely breathe and knew that something had to change. “That day I decided to go for a walk and I promised myself that I’d make it a daily thing. I started off walking…

British Cycling has confirmed the route details for the Lloyds National Road Championships in Ceredigion, Wales between 25-28 June 2026. A total of 10 coveted national champion’s jerseys are up for grabs across three days of racing, with the time-trial on Thursday 25 June 2026, the circuit race on Friday 26 June 2026, and the road race concluding the action on Sunday 28 June 2026. Ceredigion hosted a hugely successful Championships in 2025, with Zoe Backstedt, Ethan Hayte r, Callum Thornley, Cameron Mason, Kate Richardson, Matthew Brennan, Mille Couzens and Samuel Watson crowned national champions, with the 2026 event shaping…

It’s a milestone year full of celebration as the Kidney Wales CDF 10K marks its 40th anniversary. Since its very first race back in 1986, the event has grown in size and scale and is now one of the largest 10K races in the UK. This year, to celebrate the milestone, the Kidney Wales CDF 10K has been expanded and will see its biggest event yet with more than 9,500 runners signed up to take part across both the 10K and 2k events. Founded by Kidney Wales in the 1980s, Run 4 Wales (R4W) took on the management of the…

Conwy Brewery in Llysfaen doubles up at CAMRA’s Champion Bottled Beer of Wales, winning both gold and bronze in the 4.4% and Above category. Telford Porter (5.6%), a ruby black, smooth porter by Conwy Brewery was crowned CAMRA’s winner after fighting off competition from beers across Wales. Silver place went to Hefeweizen (5.2%) by Geipel Brewing, Denbighshire, a refreshing hazy yellow smooth gold beer. Conwy Brewing also won bronze for their nutty, sessionable Rampart Brown Ale (4.8%). Telford Porter now has the chance to fight for the overall title of Champion Bottled Beer of Britain, where the very best bottled beers from around…