Friday 16 September 2011

A Swansea Valley Tragedy

It is inconceivable that such a relatively small community as the one of Pontardawe, north of Swansea could have experienced the double tragedy that it has this past week.

The heartbreaking death of young 5 year old Harry Patterson was bad enough. Police are investigating reports that he was playing outside his house on Tuesday evening when he is believed to have released the handbrake of his parents’ silver Seat car after climbing inside. As the Western Mail reports, he is thought to have leapt out in panic and hit his head as the car rolled back down a steep incline

If that horrific news from Alltwen, near Pontardawe wasn't bad enough, just a few miles down the road came the news yesterday of the trapped miners.

As I went to bed last night, the news was that divers have been sent into a flooded mine at Gleision Colliery near Cilybebyll, Pontardawe to rescue four miners trapped 90m underground. The men had been trapped by water since Thursday morning.

The news today has been gut-wrenchingly solemn. At this moment, 3 bodies have been found. The search for the 4th miner is still on-going and the fading hope is that he will be found alive.

My thoughts are with all of the families and friends of all of those touched by these tragedies this week. It is an incredibly sad and difficult time and one in which the community I'm sure will all pull together at this time of disbelief and grief.

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