VISITORS to Swansea city centre can now learn more about the history of its castle — from a Norman lord to Dylan Thomas.

Two new information panels have been unveiled at the castle as part of an ongoing project improve to access to the historic building.

One display board focuses on William de Breos III, a former Lord of Gower who lived in the castle in the late 13th and early 14th centuries, while the other concentrates on Dylan Thomas, who worked for the South Wales Evening Post — when it was called the Daily Post — in a building on the site of the current castle courtyard.

Swansea Council cabinet member for development and regeneration, Robert Francis-Davies, said: "Swansea Castle is at the heart of our city's rich heritage.

"We have a duty to preserve and celebrate it, not just for contemporary residents and visitors, but for future generations as well.

"The ongoing scheme to educate people about the castle will cast a light on its fascinating history, right from the days of its construction in the middle age through to the Three Nights Blitz of 1941.

"Projects of this nature are also important to keep pace with the rising popularity of heritage-based tourism both here in the UK and further afield. Other features will soon be added to generate a visitor experience that meets the needs of the modern age."

The installation of the boards follows improvements including new paving in the courtyard, new grassed areas and seating.

Funding of £300,000 has come from the European-funded Cadw Heritage Tourism Project, and the Welsh Government.

A previous phase of works in 2011 saw the castle's upper floors, vaulted rooms and tower building made more accessible.

Swansea castle was founded in about 1106 by Henry de Beaumont who was later given the Lordship of Gower by King Henry I.

FLY-TIPPING in a single Swansea ward has cost tax-payers almost £10,000 over two years — but not a single prosecution has been made against those responsible.

Figures revealed by Swansea Council show that over the past two financial years, the authority has spent £9,200 in tidying up the mess which has been left in Mawr ward, attending 128 reported incidents around Felindre, Rhydypandy, Garnswllt and Craigcefnparc.

The figures are the result of a Freedom of Information request, submitted by the area's councillor, Ioan Richard.

Mr Richard has long fought a battle against fly-tipping in the area.

He said: "Criminal fly-tipping takes place everywhere, not just in rural north Swansea. But I do not understand the moronic mentality of the people who do this.

"They drive miles into the countryside wasting petrol and risk enormous penalties, when the council provide sample recycling centres to take most forms of wastes.

"Mawr ward alone has had 128 incidents in two years and that has cost more than £9,000 of public money to clear and dispose of."

The mess which workers have had to remove in the ward includes black bags, rubble, mattresses and tyres.

Mr Richard called on the public to help catch those responsible for fly-tipping.

He said: "It is high time the public helped the council catch the offenders.

"I fear it will build up and get worse if our inevitable budget cuts prevent us clearing it all.

"Until now the council workmen on the front line have done a splendid job helping to keep our environment clear and clean."

A GROUP of drunken yobs have put a popular kids playground out of action with an act of vandalism.

The special soft surface around the play equipment at Gendros Community Centre has been dug up and destroyed — and the area left strewn with smashed booze bottles.

The playground has now been closed to youngsters and the committee that run the centre is facing a hefty repair bill.

Cockett ward councillor Ann Cook, who sits on the committee, condemned the vandalism and the impact it would have.

She said: "It is so sad to see what has happened — it is sickening that people would do this.

"I don't know how they managed to dig up the surface, but they ripped it to pieces and destroyed it.

"They also left broken bottles and cans everywhere.

"This has really upset people.

"We are going to have to close the playground until it's repaired — but we don't know how much that will cost or how long it will take."

It is thought the damage happened late on Friday night or the early hours of Saturday morning.

The councillor said she had spoken to residents living near the Gendros Avenue East centre who had reported a group of youngsters drinking and causing a disturbance in the playground at around 1am on Saturday.

Volunteers are now busy cleaning up the site and getting the centre ready for users.

The hall and its multi-use sports area hosts a wide range of groups and classes from netball and football to youth clubs, judo, computer courses, Citizens Advice Bureau sessions and a mother and toddler group.

Swansea Council staff are expected on site soon to assess the damage.

Mrs Cook said: "It is such a shame — this is such a well-used community centre.

"There is something happening at the centre every day, and we have children's parties at the weekends.

"We are going to have to assess the damage and get quotes for the repair.

"The committee runs the centre on a very small budget and this is going to cost us. In the meantime the playground is going to have to be closed."

The councillor appealed for anyone with information about the incident to contact police.

Can you help? Call South Wales Police in Swansea on 101, or Crimestoppers anonymously on 0800 555111

WELSH NHS staff will walk out for half a day in November in a row over pay.

It will be followed by a work to rule for the following four days.

The news has come from union, Unison, which said the strike would be from 8:30am to 12 noon on Monday, November 10.

It will involve nurses, occupational therapists, porters, paramedics, medical secretaries, cooks and healthcare assistants.

Staff will follow this up by ensuring they take breaks and work their contracted hours only.

The union claims a recommended pay increase of 1 per cent for staff has been "ignored" and instead they have been offered a non-consolidated payment of £160.

This, according to Unison, would not count towards pension entitlements or shift pay, and would not be repeated.

Dawn Bowden, of Unison, said: "NHS members don't take action often or lightly.

"The NHS runs on the goodwill of its workers but that goodwill is beginning to run low."

Unison understood the complexities within the Welsh budget, she said, but she added that the financial gap in the Welsh NHS could not be plugged continuously by the workforce.

In a ballot earlier this month 77% of members voted in favour of industrial action and 90 per cent for action short of a strike.

Pay discussions are ongoing according to the Welsh Government which has said it is disappointed with the strike plans.

A spokesman said recently that the Welsh government's budget would be 10 per cent lower in real terms than it was in 2010/11 - £1.5bn less.

"With pay accounting for more than 60% of the NHS budget we have no choice but to consider some form of pay restraint to maintain jobs and frontline services," said the spokesman.

Paul Turner / paul.turner@swwmedia.co.uk / @readmybook

Health

The fastest player in the top flight this season so far is... drum roll please... Phil Jagielka.  

EA Sports, the team who provide all the official stats for the Premier League, have found that Everton man Jagielka hit a top speed of 35.99 km/h against Leicester on the opening day of the season.

Surprisingly, there are four defenders on the list, with Leicester's Ritchie De Laet coming in a close second at 35.94km/h.

Swansea's Nathan Dyer is the only winger in the top 10, clocking up a time of 35.53 km/h. 

1 Phil Jagielka (Everton) - 35.99 km/h

2 Ritchie de Laet (Leicester City) - 35.94 km/h

3 Joe Ledley (Crystal Palace) - 35.91 km/h

4 Steven Nzonzi (Stoke City) - 35.82 km/h

5 Connor Wickham (Sunderland) - 35.80 km/h

6 Mohamed Diame (Hull City) - 35.68 km/h

7 Alan Hutton (Aston Villa) - 35.54 km/h

8 Nathan Dyer (Swansea) - 35.53 km/h

9 Craig Gardner (West Brom) - 35.49 km/h

10 Joey O'Brien (West Ham) - 35.46 km/h

POLICE have arrested a potentially dangerous convicted robber who had absconded from prison.

Leigh Foster, 41, had disappeared yesterday from HMP Prescoed.

But a spokesman for Gwent Police said: "He has been located and arrested.

"He is currently in police custody and will shortly be returned to the prison authorities."

Foster was convicted of robbery at Swansea Crown Court in July, 2007.

Prior to that, in 2002, he was part of a gang of drunken vigilantes who burst into the homes of two families in Ammanford.

Wearing masks and brandishing a knife, a baseball bat and a length of wood, they had been looking for a hard drugs dealer but did not know his address.

They wanted to teach him a lesson and confiscate his drugs but they ended up terrorising innocent families.

With children screaming in the background they held a knife to one man's throat and hit another with a baseball bat.

Known as Leigh Foster-Griffiths at the time, he was jailed for four and a half years for that attack.

Paul Turner / paul.turner@swwmedia.co.uk / @readmybook

Ammanford

LESS than a week before his death Alvin Stardust and his Swansea-born wife Julie Parton celebrated 22 years of marriage.

She was just 18 when she first met the pop star on a production of Godspell and admits her parents were not impressed when she told them she was dating a man 28 years her senior.

Indeed, Julie said it took a year for them to warm to him. But they were present when the 72-year-old was in the last hours of his battle against metastatic prostate cancer.

Julie said: "On Wednesday, when his condition began to rapidly deteriorate, they told him they wouldn't have 'changed a hair on his head for the world'."

Julie, aged 44, from St Thomas, has spoken to the Daily Mail about their life together and the final days before his death. She has done so to raise awareness of the disease and to honour a commitment by her husband who was due to give an interview to the newspaper to urge men to get themselves checked.

She said during their marriage she never gave a thought to the fact he would probably leave her a widow due to their age difference. He was, she says, "such a vibrant, young man".

'The age thing never ever came into it because as he grew older and slightly frailer towards the end, I just grew to love him more," she said.

"We did have a wry smile at the beginning of the week after we'd been told it was the end of the journey. I said: 'well there is one thing about it, darling. I'll remember you like this. You're still handsome — which he is — and I'm not going to be remembering taking you here, there and everywhere in a Zimmer frame.'

"The only time I've thought about the age difference is my guilt surrounding Millie now. I thought, if I'd been with a younger man, this wouldn't have happened to her at such a young age because prostate cancer usually happens to older men."

The couple, who for a long time spent part each year living in a house they owned in St Thomas, have a 13-year-old daughter Millie Margaret Mary.

Both mother and daughter were alongside Alvin and his grown-up children from two earlier marriages when he died.

Julie added: "I said: 'Now is the time to stop fighting, darling. Now is the time to be peaceful and calm."

Stardust had been battling cancer for 18 months.

His wife said: "If Alvin had been diagnosed earlier, our 13-year-old daughter would still have had a father. That's why he wanted to do this. He wanted to tell people to get checked.

"But sadly, it caught him before he could say it, so I have to be the voice for him. I want to do this for him because I know he'd have wanted me to. He wanted people to know he'd battled on and that you can keep fighting."

As recently as five days before his death, Alvin was on stage blasting out his top ten hits such as My Coo Ca Choo and Jealous Mind. The only clue he was so desperately ill was the fact that he had to sit on a stool instead of stand up.

Julie said: "The cancer was in his spine and his back was so painful. Only his family and a few very close friends knew. Alvin's instinct was the show must go on and, as long as he kept fighting, it would.

"Years before he'd had a well-man thing done and had his prostate checked. We were told his PSA [a test which can be an early indication of prostate cancer] was up a little bit but that it was completely normal in a man of his age. I was naive. Alvin was naive. I wish they had said 'keep an eye on that'. But they didn't and he didn't have a lot of symptoms."

He did, though, begin suffering three years ago with a nagging hip pain.

'We were in Paris walking down the Champs-Elysees when he started complaining about his hip. I now know prostate cancer can present itself as hip pain — if only I'd known that then," added Julie.

The cancer was diagnosed a year or so later.

"I was in London for three days in a show when Alvin got a call from his doctor. There were lesions on his spine. He'd had the cancer for quite a while and it had spread. Being the sort of protective person Alvin is, he waited for me to come home and asked my mum and dad to come up from Swansea so they'd be there when he told me.

"He said they'd found some lesions. My life just fell apart. It was an aggressive cancer. I asked him if he was scared. He said he wasn't. He just didn't want to leave me and Millie."

THE Scarlets medical team will attempt to patch up the walking wounded today in the wake of their bruising European Rugby Champions Cup win over Leicester.

The rousing 15-3 victory over the Tigers has lifted the West Wales region to second in the Pool 3 table, but it came at a cost.

No. 8 Rory Pitman, centre Scott Williams and second rows Richard Kelly and Lewis Rawlins all picked up injuries during the match, while Wales lock Jake Ball was withdrawn minutes before kick-off after failing to shake off a hamstring issue.

Ball and Williams will head off to Warren Gatland's Wales training camp this week, along with six other national squad members. The injury to second row Ball is not thought to be serious, while an update on Williams's hamstring damage is expected today.

Pitman's shoulder injury — suffered in the opening 10 minutes — was not as serious as first feared, but Kelly, who replaced Ball in the starting line-up, fractured a bone in his wrist midway through the first half, while Rawlins tore a hamstring muscle at the end of a fine European debut.

The Scarlets' squad depth will be tested for the resumption of Pro12 action when Zebre visit Parc y Scarlets on Saturday. "It is a matter of patching up the bodies and seeing what we have got," added Pivac.

Meanwhile, man of the match against the Tigers, scrum-half Aled Davies, insisted the Scarlets' European ambitions are still burning bright.

"We were outstanding in Toulon last week but we didn't get anything for our efforts so we knew we had to back that performance up here and that's exactly what we did," he said.

"We have got four matches left in the pool and we need to keep improving.

"We are not here just to make up the numbers."

THERE were hat-tricks for Adam Butler and substitute John Anderson as Tumble United strolled to an 11-0 win at home to Llandovery in the third round of the Senior Cup.

They led 6-0 at the break. Lee Williams scored two goals, and there was one each for Tyrone Williams, Osian Evans and Dominic Saunders.

In the second round of the Senior Cup, Pengelli United toppled visiting Llansteffan 9-0. There was a hat-trick for Luke Rees.

Apart from being gifted an own goal, which came about when a shot from Ashley Pass was deflected by a defender past his own keeper, Pengelli struck five more times through Peter Lewis, Ben Edwards, Shaun Rees, Ashley Pass and Ben Hinchey. It was 3-0 at half-time.

Pembrey had two penalties saved by keeper Mark Dickeson of CK Swiss Valley, who booked their passage into the next round with a 5-0 win.

Shaun Richards delivered the first blow in the 10th minute, before the advantage was doubled 10 minutes later by Kevin Daniels. Second-half goals were added by Connor Dawson, Matthew Hatley and Luke Limerick.

Evans & Williams are also through to the third round, but the Premier division giants were made to battle for their 2-0 win at home to division three leaders Carmarthen Stars.

After edging ahead through Andrew Harry, who beat the keeper with a 25-yard shot with his weaker left foot in the 25th minute, Evans & Williams killed off their opponents when awarded a penalty in the 70th minute.

The referee pointed to the spot when a shot from Johnny Perrott was handled on 70 minutes, and Stuart Rees dispatched the penalty.

Loughor Rovers had a tough time of it early on against visiting Ammanford Town, but finished much the stronger to win the tie 9-1. It was 2-1 at half-time.

Ammanford struck first from the penalty spot in the 23rd minute, before the home team took control.

Eight of the goals for Loughor were shared between Matthew Hurford, Robert Jones, George Lavender and Anthony James, while Daniel Hurford also hit the target.

Cup favourites Seaside made the best possible start, taking the lead inside two minutes through Nathan Jones against visiting Llandeilo Town when he latched on to a through ball by Jamie Bowen.

By half-time, however, the minnows hit back to lead the defending Premier division champions 2-1.

Once Jamie Bowen scrambled an equaliser for Seaside in the 51st minute the writing was on the wall for Llandeilo.

Bowen netted his second in the 67th minute, and sandwiched in between were goals by Nathan Jones and Steven Evans, both of them headers.

In a second-round tie between two Premier division clubs, Trallwm beat West United 6-0 in their own back yard. It was 3-0 at half-time.

Paul Thomas netted twice, the others to net being Tom Evans, Steven Evans, Dai Evans and Jack James.

In one of only two games in the Premier division, Trostre won 4-2 at struggling Ponthenri. Ponthenri took the lead towards the end of the first half courtesy of a close-range shot from Ryan Lewis.

This lead was doubled early in the second half when a determined run from distance was followed by a shot from 15 yards from Garin Morris

Trostre, with the wind at their backs, drew level with two similar goals.

From throw-ins into the box, Chris Waters, recently signed from Camford, pounced twice when the ball broke loose to shoot home.

His third was more controversial, having been adjudged to be onside from a defender's flick. This time he rounded the keeper to tap home.

Fifteen minutes from the end Ponthenri were reduced to 10 men when midfielder Sion Roberts was dismissed for two yellow cards.

As the home side chased an equaliser, Trostre broke away and set up a simple tap-in for Waters's fourth.

In the other top-tier match, Bwlch beat visitors Camford Sports 7-2.

In division one, promotion hopefuls Gorseinon Athletic gained a much-needed three points from a 4-1 win at home to Caerbryn. At half-time it was 3-1.

Adam Williams capped an outstanding display with two goals, and Robert Cunnah and substitute Richard Quinn also scored. On target for Caerbryn was Kyrone Jones.

In the much-awaited derby in division two, Abergwili caused an upset to defeat second-placed Johnstown United 2-1 on their own ground.

Although there were chances at both ends, it was 0-0 at half-time.

The deadlock was broken five minutes into the second half with a Craig Evans header for Abergwili.

When United got back on terms it looked as if the rivals would have to settle for a share of the points, but in a dramatic climax Luca Dragone grabbed a winner for Abergwili from a scramble in the box.

Whitland just about deserved a 2-1 win at home to Bancffosfelen.

After looking the more threatening early on, it came as no surprise when Jonathan Sealey latched on to a through ball from Rhys Williams to put Whitland in front.

Although Whitland gifted the visitors a soft goal in the 55th minute, they went on to pocket maximum points.

When the keeper failed to hold a 30-yard shot from Sealey, Chris Bowen tapped in the rebound for Whitland in the 61st minute.

Llangennech stay in fifth place after a hard-fought 3-0 win in the away clash against bottom club Johnstown.

Josh Bordess struck with two of the goals for Llangennech, while also on target was David Breddy. It was 1-0 at half-time.

Trailing 2-0 at half-time, Drefach battled back to beat Gwendraeth Valley neighbours Carwe 4-2 at home in division three.

The fightback was inspired by a hat-trick from Aled Rumble, with Jonathan Lloyd also hitting the target.

And in reserve division three, a hat-trick from Daniel Beavers helped Gorseinon win 6-2 at Llangennech.

Darren Williams scored a couple of goals, and there was one for Craig Morgan.

Our health service should be a national one

IS there such a thing as the NHS in this country any more? The clue of what it used to be is in the name, the National Health Service, which is what it used to be. But it is no longer, it is now a regional health service. England has one type of service and Scotland has another and Wales has certainly got a totally different one than the rest.

Massive amounts of money is obviously wasted every year by having three different management organisations all trying to achieve the same thing. It is now time to have one NHS and one governing body covering the UK, and all prescriptions should be 50p for everybody and frozen for ten years, that will stop people having expensive medicines just because it is free, remember nothing is free in this world, if don't pay for it someone else has to.

Andrew Hinton

Swansea

Time for rest to follow our lead

WE noticed the story about Neath Port Talbot Council not funding Christmas lights this year in Neath, Port Talbot and Pontardawe, and many groups are quickly getting together to raise funds. The residents and businesses of the Neath East area (Melincryddan area) have been doing this for at least the last 10 years through the efforts of the Melincryddan Community Conference, by running events like the May Day in the Melin to raise the funds.

We purchased and now pay each year for maintenance, storage, and lighting of the lights from Stockhams roundabout to the old Grandison pub area.

We hold a lighting up activity involving the local schools on the first Friday in December and this year it will be in Melin Junior School.

Many of our Neath East residents still believe the council have funded the Melin lights over these past 10 years which is, of course, not correct, but this year the Melin Christmas lights will be lighting up our Christmas as usual.

Carole Snow-Muir and James Muir

via email

What's in a (place) name?

YOUR article on the link between Ystradgynlais and Leicester Tigers (Post, October 23) gave me some cause for reflection.

Not all that long ago I emailed an English friend in Switzerland and happened to mention Ystradgynlais.

Knowing full well that many English people verbally mangle Welsh place names, I added the following phonetic assistance, "Us-trad-gun-lice".

Even longer ago, my late father insisted on pronouncing Aberdulais as though it was in French – Aber-doo-lay.

Back in the 1960s when I came to study in Swansea, I asked a Pontypridd girl how to pronounce the name on the bus coming towards us.

I had no chance then of saying Cwmrhydyceirw without assistance. Soon after, I had help from an Anglesey student named Rhys in how to pronounce "rh" in Welsh words.

Needless to say, I've never returned to live in England and tell friends I'm a Jack by adoption,

John Howard

via email

Listening to the majority

A FEW points are raised by B Jones (Post, October 20) which need addressing.

Political parties produce manifestos for the electorate's judgment; that Labour is usually the preferred choice is an exercise in democracy. If decisions taken are not to the gentleman's liking it is because the Welsh Government has never promised to commit itself to his right wing views. If indeed it did, it would be a betrayal to the majority's aspirations.

A referendum was taken on enhanced powers for the Senedd, indicating a decisive 'yes' vote, making a further poll on whether it should be abolished unnecessary. Incidentally Ukip has now accepted that a Welsh Assembly is important as confirmed by its deputy leader, Paul Nuttall, on the BBC phone-in programme, when I posed the question.

Where B Jones has a valid point is when he writes "I do not believe for one minute that David Cameron's promise of an in/out referendum on the EU will ever take place". Firstly, because I think Labour will form the next Government and secondly, because his demands will not be acceptable to the EU.

Most importantly of all a referendum is enshrined in its charter should there be major constitutional changes to its operations. The PM knows this but deceives by trying to pacify his back-benchers as well as being petrified by the advance of Ukip threatening his parliamentary chances.

David L Davies

Llanmorlais

AN area of Swansea is currently home to almost 1,000 houses of multiple occupations — more commonly known as HMOs.

Uplands tops the leaderboard in a table of these types of property, with a total of 996. That is out of 1,499 across the city and county of Swansea.

The figures were released following a question to Swansea Council's cabinet member for community and housing, David Hopkins.

It was put forward by councillors Wendy Fitzgerald, Gareth Sullivan, Lynda James, Susan Jones, Keith Marsh, Ioan Richard and Gordon Walker.

They asked: "Could the relevant cabinet member inform council how many houses of multiple occupation are registered, ward by ward, in Swansea? How many HMOs are occupied solely by students?"

In response, Mr Hopkins said, as of October 10, there were 481 in Castle — which covers the city centre — one in Landore, two in Oystermouth, three in St Thomas, and 16 in Sketty, plus those in Uplands.

However, he added: "Details are not kept about whether occupiers are students, as this is a private matter for each landlord."

The question was included in a Swansea Council report going before all members on Tuesday, November 4, at a meeting in the Civic Centre.

HMOs have caused concern in areas such as Uplands in recent months.

AM for Swansea West Julie James said around 70 per cent of homes in some streets were of this variety.

Mrs James, who has campaigned to control the spread of HMOs since she was first elected to the Assembly, said previously: "Students are a welcome and important part of our city. However, when some streets have more than 70 per cent HMO occupation we see the community collapse when they return home as term finishes."

A CARMARTHEN man grabbed a pub landlord by the throat as he was being thrown out of a pub, a court has heard.

James Austin Lynch, aged 29, admitted assaulting William Hunter and threatening his wife Meinir in the town's Boar's Head pub on September 30.

Ellie Morgan, prosecuting, said Lynch, of Morgan Street, had been drinking in the pub on Lammas Street and was very intoxicated by 4.30pm.

"Mrs Hunter approached him and he threw energy drink all over the place," said Ms Morgan.

"He told her to **** off.

"She got her husband who was upstairs and they ushered him out.

"He lunged at Mrs Hunter to grab her top but her husband intervened.

"He grabbed the husband round the neck and called them a********. They shouldn't have to put up with this sort of behaviour, they were just doing their jobs."

When Lynch was arrested, police found 0.5 grams of cannabis in his home.

Lynch pleaded guilty to assault by beating, assault by threat and possession of cannabis.

Robin Reed, defending Lynch, said his client was "sorry and ashamed" of his actions.

"He'd drunk a cocktail of different alcohol on top of anti-psychotic medication," he said.

"He doesn't remember it but fully accepts what happened.

"There were no injuries caused and it was not premeditated.

"Essentially it is a man kicking off in a pub.

"He has a serious drink problem and mental health issues."

The case was adjourned until November 10 for a pre-sentencing report.

CHARITY champion Captain Beany popped into his local Tesco store at the weekend and marched out a few hours later with a £1,000-plus addition to his latest fundraising venture.

The Captain — also known as Barry Kirk — is doing all he can to bring in thousands for the Marlie-Grace Roberts Appeal.

The 4-year-old cerebral palsy sufferer from Baglan needs an operation to walk unaided.

And the Captain is doing his bit to help get the money in.

He has had a 60 baked bean tattoo constructed on his head and is asking supporters to fork out £60 to have their initials etched on a bean.

And after his Tesco appearance in Port Talbot on Saturday he is up to 35 names.

Now he is hoping to seal the deal for the remaining 25 slots before Christmas.

Captain Beany was, though, ecstatic with the in-store response he got for his appeal, some of it from an unexpected source.

"I had a bit of a fun day there," he said. "There was face painting and all in all I raised £1,085.

"I had a £500 cheque and £80 cash from Swansea Valley Cardiac Support Group. I didn't expect that. I have helped them in the past, but I didn't expect that. It brought a tear to my eye.

"I made £300 on the tattoo signing and the rest on face painting and sponsorship for me when I do the Richard Burton 10k in Cwmavon on Sunday. I have done it about five times and they always graciously give me the number 57 on the beans theme!"

The Captain will stride into the popular weekend event with an extra spring in his step after last Saturday.

"It was not a bad day's work," he said. "I did not expect all that. I am hoping now to get all the beans initialled on my head before Christmas, so hope people will respond. People can email me at bakedbeancharitytattoo@captain beany.com."

A BRAVE schoolgirl has been praised for disarming a dangerous man holding a knife in a busy park.

The girl, 14, negotiated with armed Kyle Sulman, persuading him to drop the knife.

A court heard Sulman, 24, was upset after breaking up with his girlfriend and had been holding the blade to his own neck.

The girl, who cannot be named for legal reasons, later called police who arrested him at his home in Barry.

Adam Sharpe, defending, said: "She was only a schoolgirl but she showed confidence and fortitude.

"In her statement to police she said she was not scared but was worried about Sulman's safety."

Sulman admitted possessing a bladed article and assaulting two police officers who arrested him.

He was remanded in custody at Cardiff Crown Court.

A GROUP of drunken yobs have put a popular kids playground out of action with an act of mindless vandalism.

The special soft surface around the play equipment at Gendros Community Centre has been dug up and destroyed — and the area left strewn with smashed booze bottles.

The playground has now been closed to youngsters and the committee that run the centre is facing a hefty repair bill.

Cockett ward councillor Ann Cook, who sits on the committee, condemned the vandalism and the impact it would have.

She said: "It is so sad to see what has happened — it is sickening that people would do this.

"I don't know how they managed to dig up the surface, but they ripped it to pieces and destroyed it. They also left broken bottles and cans everywhere.

"This has really upset people.

"We are going to have to close the playground until it's repaired — but we don't know how much that will cost or how long it will take."

It is thought the damage happened late on Friday night or the early hours of Saturday morning.

The councillor said she had spoken to residents living near the Gendros Avenue East centre who had reported a group of youngsters drinking and causing a disturbance in the playground at around 1am on Saturday.

Volunteers are now busy cleaning-up the site and getting the centre ready for users.

The hall and its multi-use sports area hosts a wide range of groups and classes from netball and football to youth clubs, judo computer courses, Citizens Advice Bureau sessions and a mother and toddler group.

Swansea Council staff are expected on site soon to assess the damage.

Mrs Cook said: "It is such a shame — this is such a well used community centre.

"There is something happening at the centre every day, and we have children's parties at the weekends.

"We are going to have to assess the damage and get quotes for the repair.

"The committee runs the centre on a very small budget and this is going to cost us. In the meantime the playground is going to have to be closed."

Can you help? Call South Wales Police in Swansea on 101, or Crimestoppers anonymously on 0800 555111

WALES centre Jonathan will today undergo a scan to determine the extent of the shoulder injury he picked up on European duty with his club Clermont Auvergne.

But there is better news over Wales's other injured centres Cory Allen and Scott Williams with attack coach Rob Howley revealing the pair should be fit to face Australia in the opening match of the November Test series a week on Saturday.

The biggest concern surrounds British Lion Davies, who picked up the injury in the first half of his side's Rugby Champions Cup win over Sale Sharks at the Stade Marcel Michelin on Sunday.

"Jon had a bump on his shoulder so we are waiting for the scan to know the full extent of the injury," said Howley as the squad gathered today at their Vale of Glamorgan Hotel base.

"I watched the game; he created a fantastic try after doing something to his shoulder and it is obvious he has felt some pain immediately. We just have to wait to ascertain how bad that injury is.

"It is disappointing, but centre is a pretty attritional position now. We just have to get on and work with what we have got. It is the nature of the game."

Allen picked an injury out in Italy for the Blues, while Scott Williams limped off after just 20 minutes of the Scarlets' European win over Leicester because of a hamstring problem.

"Cory and Scott, potentially, could be fit for next week," said Howley.

"It is difficult for me to say one way or another in terms of strength in depth. We feel we have strength in depth in that position and hopefully these players will come through."

Howley admitted George North, who switched from wing to centre during his stellar four-try performance for Northampton Saints against the Ospreys on Saturday, is an option to cover any injuries in midfield.

"He went there last year against Australia," added Howley. "It is something we have always said over the last 18 months to two years, we think George isn't a bad outside centre.

"He did okay on the wing as well on the weekend which was fantastic to see, he was back to his Lions form. It is an option for us if we need to go there."

SPECIAL guests have already been handed their invites to the Christmas Cheer party.

Swansea Sound DJ Kevin Johns and the Evening Post's Bumbles of Mumbles creator Alex Frith are already on the list.

Joanne Leworthy, editor's PA at the Evening Post, who organises the event, said it was a really special occasion.

She said: "It is only with the overwhelming generosity of others that I am able to pull all this together! From the companies that donate items for our goody bags to the people who give up their time to join us on the day, and this year is no exception. So far we have been contacted by Waterstones, Play Zone and the LC just to name a few. I genuinely cannot thank the Mercure Hotel management and staff enough, they not only provide us with such an amazing venue they also lay on a fantastic buffet specially prepared for all the special guests. Every year we have a sponsor who provides Santa with all the wonderful gifts that are handed out to the nominated guests who attend the party. And, of course, I cannot even begin to talk about our Christmas Cheer party without mentioning the wonderful Pick A Mix team who provide fantastic entertainment for the duration of the party.

"This year is going to have a Frozen theme and I am so excited to be able to let everyone know that joining us on the day will be Princesses Elsa and Anna and Olaf.

"Arranging special appearances by football players and rugby players (between their scheduled games), sorting out all the invitations, goody bags, buying and wrapping all the presents, and agonising over and over again as to whether the right gift has been bought, can get really stressful, but when it comes to the day and I see all the children enjoying themselves and I see the smiles on their faces, especially when, after all the dancing and eating has been done, and Father Christmas arrives then I know, it has all been worth it."

A 51-year-old man accused of possessing a film which showed a woman having sex with a tiger has spoken out about the extreme stress the experience caused.

Andrew Holland, from Wrexham, North Wales, is now trying to change the law on extreme pornography after spending 14 months in total trying to clear his name.

Mr Holland was forced to move from his home town, suffered a heart attack and was targeted by vigilantes after being sent the spoof video by friends. He was denied contact with his own daughter and suffered a 'campaign of abuse'.

"I lost my job, I had to move and I ended up having a heart attack with all the stress of it," Mr Holland told the Independent. "People were ringing me in the middle of the night. Three young lads turned up at my door and were calling me everything. I was threatened on more than one occasion."

Saying that he had only viewed one of the videos for six seconds, this simple act had led to him becoming the subject of "widespread ridicule". Mr Holland eventually spent a total of six months on bail before the charges against him were dropped, as prosecutors found out that the 'tiger' was in fact a man in fancy dress.

The Crown Prosecution Service has since said that it realised the animal was not a real tiger when it was heard saying the catchphrase of Frostie's Tony the Tiger, "That's grrrreat!"

Legal representation for Mr Holland has now contacted the Director of Public Prosecutions, seeking a change in the law to stop charges being brought for "harmless but crude" jokes.

Spokesman for Backlash - an organisation which campaigns on sexual freedom - Jon Fuller said that the law "threatens anyone with a sex life they want to keep private.

"It threatens ordinary members of the public who exchange dirty jokes by phone and over the internet."

Ruth Dawson / ruth.dawson@swwmedia.co.uk / @Ruth_Dawson