Archive

  • Missing paramedic found dead

    THE body of a Towy Valley paramedic missing in the Gwent Valleys for six days has been found, police have confirmed. Father-of-two Phillip Tottle, 40, who lived with his family at Bethlehem, was staying with his parents in Torfaen when he disappeared

  • Class warriors block closure

    HANDS off! That is the message from over 600 irate Amman Valley residents who have signed a petition to keep a special needs class open. A dozen children with learning difficulties are being forced back into mainstream education because a lack of funding

  • Race arrest case dropped

    THE case against a 15-year-old schoolgirl arrested following an alleged racial attack in Ammanford Park has been dropped, it has emerged. Police have confirmed that following the alleged incident on April 27, the Crown Prosecution Service has decided

  • Woman, 93, tricked by distraction burglars

    A 93-YEAR-OLD Llan-dovery woman was the victim of an attempted distraction burglary last week - but the two men fled with nothing. The duo, one in his early 20s the other between 30 and 40, tricked their way into an undisclosed address in the town last

  • 500 new dental places in valley

    FIVE hundred new dental places are now up for grabs in the Upper Amman Valley after a summer opening date was revealed for a new surgery. The NHS practice will be opened in Brynaman in August and comes as a result of a joint bid between Neath Port Talbot

  • Practice manager charged with £250k fraud

    THE FORMER manager of Ammanford's Margaret Street Practice has appeared before the town's magistrates charged with 30 counts of obtaining money by deception. Dawn Susan Taylor, of 33 Fishermans Quay, Swansea, did not enter any pleas and the case, which

  • Homework ‘bypassed by roads team’

    COUNCIL chiefs failed to do their homework and plan for a major sewage works when designing the Ammanford relief road, an anti bypass campaigner said this week. Phil Broadhurst said officials were so concerned with building the road to accommodate the

  • Golf WAGs targeted by town’s teed-off traders

    A GROUP OF Towy Valley traders are teeing-off plans to take advantage of one of world of sport's greatest showpieces arriving in Wales - despite the fact there is still a fairway to go until the 2010 event! Llandovery's Chamber of Commerce has decided

  • Stripped to the waist and covered in blood

    A BETWS man has been warned he could soon be behind bars after he threatened to knock a police officer's teeth out. Gareth Haines, of Cae Crwm, in Cwmfelin Road, was arrested after a fight broke out at his mother's home in Margaret Street, Ammanford.

  • Rachel's a Miss Wales hopeful

    A BETWS beauty is in the running for the Miss Wales crown this year - but didn't even know she had entered. Rachel Smith, 19, who is among the final 30 stunners, claims she knew nothing about the competition and points the finger of blame at her pal

  • Going it alone

    AN AMMANFORD man is set to achieve a lifetime's ambition by sailing solo across the Atlantic to New York. David Lewis is setting off from Dale, near Milford Haven in Pembrokeshire, at the end of the month and expects to set foot on American soil six

  • Lucky escape for family in truck drama

    A LLANDOVERY father's quick-thinking saved his own life and that of his six-year-old son when an articulated pipeline lorry came heading straight for them. Eirian Davies, of Glangwydderig Farm, said the incident, coupled with recent tales of a similar

  • Gang tricks way into home of woman, 84,

    A PENYGROES pensioner had a lucky escape last week when three men who tricked their way into her home left empty-handed. The incident, which happened between 3.30pm and 5.30pm, has been linked with two similar attempts in the Towy Valley. The 84-year-old

  • Man died after 24-hour drink & drugs binge

    A coroner has criticised the ease with which drugs can be bought in the centre of Swansea after hearing how a Pontardawe man drowned off Mumbles. Philip Rogers, the Swansea and Gower coroner, was speaking after hearing how Rory Ryan, aged 30, drowned

  • Hospital airlift

    A LLANDYBIE man has been airlifted to hospital after sustaining serious injuries to his hand. The man, believed to be in his 20s, is said to have injured his hand while operating industrial machinery at Castell Y Graig, Pentregwenlais. A Dyfed-Powys

  • Teen charged with assaulting cop

    Following a report of damage at the Castle Hotel, Llandovery, an 18-year-old man was arrested. He was charged with offences of criminal damage and assaulting a police officer. He is due to appear before Ammanford Magistrates' Court tomorrow (Thursday

  • Rhodri Glyn vows to take the brakes off bypass

    RHODRI Glyn Thomas AM has vowed to do all he can to speed up the decision-making process for the Llandeilo bypass after being left "frustrated" by the delay. The town was assured in March that the announcement of a preferred route would be made after

  • Kiddies health dangers from park dog muck

    YOUNGSTERS playing in a Bonllwyn park are being put at serious risk because Carmarthenshire Council cannot be bothered to empty the bin. That is the view of one outraged village resident who says bags of stinking dog mess have been left building up alongside

  • Woman chokes on lamb dinner

    A GLANAMAN woman choked to death on a lamb dinner after swallowing lumps of meat to avoid irritating a toothache. Bertha Bartlett, aged 55, died as she gulped down her food while eating the meal with her son at her Cwmaman Road home on April 8. An

  • Bloody suckers? call Batman

    PLANS to create 20 flats in Ammanford's College Street have been deferred to find out whether there are bats on the site. Tai Cartrefi Cyf has applied for full planning permission for a residential development of between two and three storeys at 46-50

  • Epilepsy death natural causes

    A 43-YEAR-OLD Llandybie epilepsy sufferer had no trace of his medication in his system when he died, a post mortem report found. Mark Evans, of Rawlings Road had been drinking and that might have affected his death, most likely caused by a sudden epileptic

  • Neighbours over-ruled

    TWO FOUR BEDROOM houses look set to be built in the Towy Valley - despite neighbours insisting it would over-develop the area. The application, for homes to be built on a plot adjacent to Min y Dderwen in Ffarmers, is expected to receive a green light

  • Man's nose bitten in pub fight

    A MAN had part of his nose bitten off in a fight outside a Swansea Valley pub. The man - from Seven Sisters - was drinking with friends at the Gough Arms, in Glantawe Row, Ystradgynlais, when he became involved in a fight with a 30-year-old Ystalyfera

  • Wet! Wet! Wet! But heavy rain fails to douse spirits

    THEY may have got soaked to the skin, but over 140 hardy runners and walkers made light of the appalling conditions at the 20th Trap Fun Run on Sunday. Two veteran Swansea runners took the honours in the Open 5.2 mile race, sponsored by Hanson. Steve

  • Carpenter off the road

    A GORSLAS carpenter has been hammered with a six month ban after he was caught riding a motorbike while banned from driving. Craig Phillip Selwood, aged 26, of 25 Church Road, was halfway through a six month ban imposed for having 12 points, when he

  • Full Bac-ing for new exam

    SIXTH Formers at Ysgol Tre-Gib in Llandeilo are celebrating their success as the first students from Carmarthenshire schools to achieve the Advanced Welsh Baccalaureate Diploma. This flagship 14-19 award, currently being piloted across Wales in 31 centres

  • Squeeze in a visit to Ponty

    SQUEEZE'S front man Glenn Tilbrook is coming to Pontardawe Arts Centre. Having first made his name playing with the likes of Jools Holland and Chris Difford, Glenn Tilbrook is now highly regarded as one of the most successful writers of his time with

  • Get away from stress and strains

    There is nothing better than getting away from it all on a nice relaxing break, but sometimes even getting to your dream destination can be stressful. For many, the journey is not just a means to an end, but a reason to travel in itself so this year

  • Charity

    A Charity Quiz night (10p in a tray) will be held at Clwb Godre'r Mynydd Du, Glanaman (Fishing club) on Tuesday, May 22, at 8pm. Profits go to Cancer Research UK.

  • Curry Night

    Llandybie Friends of Tenovus are holding a Curry evening at the Sunderban, Wind Street, Ammanford on Monday, May 21, at 7pm for 7.30pm. Tickets are priced at £10, to include food. Further details from Jean Grace on 01269 850331. A warm welcome to all.

  • Ammanford 149-9 drew with Gowerton 140-8

    Ammanford showed remarkable resilience to get the better of an excitingly unlikely draw against Gowerton at the Park in a rain affected match sponsored by GAP Motor Factors. With chief groundsman Jeff Roach surprised that the match was going ahead, it

  • Tumble 23 Mumbles 18

    A SUPERB season was capped when Tumble captain Derek Lewis lifted the SA Brains Bowl against hard and uncompromising opponents Mumbles. The early pressure came from Mumbles through some fine driving mauls and only heroic tackling from the Magpies prevented

  • Amman Utd 3 Cwmllynfell 36

    CWMLLYNFELL were comfortable winners, to progress to the final of the Cromwell Evans Cup competition against a plucky Amman United effort at a rainswept Cwmaman Park on Wednesday night. The die was cast as early as the first minute when Cwmllynfell,

  • Ammanford Bowls

    Graig Merthyr v Ammanford BC Ammanford travelled to premier side Graig Merthyr and came away losing by just 16 shots. Captain Dai Turvey was up against Wyn Mathews and lost by 13 shots. Skips Martin Rees and Brian Waters also lost, however, lead Martin

  • Cross Hands check out in style

    THE men's section of the Amman Valley darts league held its finals and presentation evening at Tairgwaith club on Friday, April 13. With Cross Hands Hotel winning the league and Pontarddulais CC runners up. The Captains Cup was won by Walford Williams

  • Llandybie RFC hosts ladies night

    THELadies section finals and presentations took place on Friday, April 20 at Llandybie RFC with four finals to be played. Pontarddulais CC won the league with Brynaman RFC runners up. The wooden spoon was retained this year by Llandybie RFC B. The captains

  • Amman Valley AGM

    THE annual general meeting of the Amman Valley Darts League will be held on Monday, August 20, at Ammanford Social Club (Pick) in Ammanford with a 7.30pm start. All existing teams are reminded that if they want to propose new rules or make any amendments

  • Darts open

    AN Open Darts tournament will be held at Cross Hands Hotel on Saturday, May 26. Entry fee is £5 per person before or £7 entry on the day of the tournament. Registrations will be taken from 12 midday with the draw to take place at 12.45 with a 1pm start

  • Game, set and matches

    LLANDYBIE Tennis Club men's first team entertained Swansea Tennis Club at home on Saturday and won the match by five events to four. First pairing of Gareth Davies and Rhodri James won three events while the second pairing of Matthew Nicholas and Craig

  • Golfers in the swing

    LATE last month, the Derlwyn Arms Golf Society started its summer tour in sun-kissed Builth Wells. With a turn out of 25 the day was a success, the golf was not too bad either. Overall winner was Wynnie Mandela' Lewis, who also won the nearest to the

  • Glanaman in the pink after Betws get a whitewash

    CLWB Godre'r Mynydd Du, Glanaman, produced a vital 7-0 win in their Llanelli snooker league third division match at Betws soccer B to maintain their promotion push. On top for the Fishing club were Alun Rees, Jonathan Morgan, John Bowen, Mike Llewelyn

  • Swimmers dive in the deep end

    TWELVE competitors from Amman Valley Swimming Club swam over the weekend at the Swansea Valley Open Meet held in Neath, which attracted entries across South Wales and the west of England. This was the first Open since the regrading of the club's squads

  • Gymnasts flying high as medals roll in

    GYMNASTS from Carmarthen School of Gymnastics swept the board at the Welsh Preliminary Gymnastic Championships held in Cardiff on Sunday, April 29. For the third year running, gymnasts from the Ammanford, Llandeilo, and Carmarthen dominated this competition