NEATH songbird Katherine Jenkins has returned to her comprehensive school, performing with the choir and inspiring budding music stars.

The OBE-awarded classical singer yesterday returned to Dwr-y-Felin Comprehensive School in Neath, promoting her new album, Home Sweet Home.

And head teacher Sue Handley — who had taught the singer history — was enthused about what a role model for the school she has become.

"It's been lovely to have her back at the school," Mrs Handley said.

"She did a presentation to her former music teacher, Enfys Brown — who has now retired — for all of the opportunities and guidance she gave her.

"She is a role model to the pupils, showing what they can do in developing their talents."

Discussing Katherine's school days, Mrs Handley said she had been a "perfectionist" and "a true professional".

"She was wonderful with the young people and gave them encouragement to strive in music," Mrs Handley added. 

Chad Welch / chad.welch@swwmedia.co.uk / @chad_welch

Katherine Jenkins / Neath / Music / Celebrity / Chad Welch

PARENTS and passers-by are flouting new zigzag lines that have just been painted outside a Swansea school.

The lines were put in place at the Brynhyfryd Junion School after a decade-long campaign aimed at keeping pupils safe.

But staff say people are parking on them when they go to nearby shops or to drop off and pick up their children.

Head teacher Tara Beynon said she hoped people would think twice in future before leaving their cars on the lines.

She said: "We have been campaigning for zigzag lines for at least 10 years. Our chairman of governors Mike White has been campaigning on our behalf.

"It's always been an issue with parents parking outside, no matter how many times we sent letters home with a polite request for them not to park there.

"People are still parking on the lines to go to the shops. We want to celebrate that we have got the lines as they are for the safety of the children.

"We were so surprised when a staff member said one Friday evening the zigzag lines were here — she was so excited. We hope that parents and passers-by will not park there in the future."

Mrs Beynon said over the years the school had been involved in a number of safety drives.

"So many children have come and gone before we've had the lines but we have been part of Safe Routes to Schools."

<a href="http://www.southwales-eveningpost.co.uk/lizperkins">Liz Perkins</a> / <a href="mailto:elizabeth.perkins@swwmedia.co.uk"> elizabeth.perkins @swwmedia.co.uk</a>  / <a href="https://twitter.com/lizperkinspost">@lizperkinspost</a>

A male nurse who has been found to have groped a female colleague's breast and bum faces being struck off.

Senior nurse Robert Phillips, 42, had admitted giving the woman a massage after they started working together at the same mental health unit.

A disciplinary hearing was told he also admitted sending her an inappropriate text message saying: "Happy birthday, have to come over and give you a kiss XXX."

He denied groping the woman's breast and crotch during a shift at the hospital in Ebbw Vale, South Wales.

Panel chairwoman Monica French said: "Collectively this behaviour was wholly inappropriate.

"He breached professional boundaries over an extended period of time - his behaviour had an adverse impact on a junior colleague.

"The allegations of breast and crotch groping were committed without consent and were sexually motivated."

The panel, sitting in Cardiff, ruled Phillips's fitness to practice was impaired and is due to decide if he will be struck off the nursing register.

ANTHONY Hopkins is heading to the small screen for a TV series based on the 1973 sci-fi western film Westworld.

The Port Talbot born Oscar winner is to play the owner of a futuristic amusement park populated with human-like robots.

The original film starred the late Yul Brynner.

For the new series, which has been commissioned by American cable TV network HBO, Hopkins will be joined by Thandie Newton, James Marsden and Even Rachel Wood. Westworld's all-star cast will also include Ed Harris, Miranda Otto and Jeffrey Wright.

Westworld is set to air next year and is being billed by HBO as "a dark odyssey about the dawn of artificial consciousness and the future of sin."

Have you ever wondered if your friends support Ukip or Britain First? 

Helpfully, there's now a way to test whether your friends have 'Liked' the Facebook pages for Ukip or Britain First, using this simple trick.

Log in to Facebook first, then paste the URL below into your browser:

https://www.facebook.com/browse/friended_fans_of/?page_id=209101162445115

The tool then allows you to unfriend them directly from this page, should you wish of course.

A CHRISTMAS craft fair in aid of a Cystic Fybrosis charity will be held this weekend.

Running from 10am to 5pm on Sunday, November 23, the event will have 45 stalls offering Christmas crafts at Swansea's Marriott Hotel and will also include an appearance from Disney's Frozen's Queen Elsa.

Entry is £1, and proceeds from the day will go to the Better Life Appeal for the All Wales Adult Cystic Fibrosis Centre at Llandough Hospital.

The centre aims to provide its patients with the best possible care, support, advice and encouragement.

Rachel Moses-Lloyd / rachel.moses@swwmedia.co.uk / <a href="https://twitter.com/racheljanemoses">@racheljanemoses</a>

A DYING mum who was denied treatment because surgeons thought she was too young to have cancer has told of her heartache.

Mother-of-two Katie Maytum, 35, is suing the NHS for £750,000 alleging surgeons ignored official cancer guidelines, robbing her of her chance to see her children grow up.

Miss Maytum, who has terminal breast cancer, told a court she was forced to wait five and half months before being seen by a specialist because she was under 35.

The High Court hearing was told three breast cancer surgeons at the Princess of Wales Hospital in Bridgend went against the national guidelines of treating all lumps in women over 30 as urgent.

Miss Maytum was 31 when she went to her local GP after noticing a lump in her left breast.

She told the court: "I couldn't but think that there was cancer inside my body. I know the feeling of a cyst and this was a hard lump which got bigger.

"It started off as a lump the size of a pea and continued through my menstrual cycle and continued afterwards.

"I went to my GP as I was concerned with my family history - my grandmother and great aunts all had breast cancer."

Her GP was so concerned he faxed an "urgent referral" form to the South West Wales Cancer Network - which brings together organisations involved in planning, commissioning and provision of cancer care across the region.

But when surgeon Vummiti Murali-Krishnan received Miss Maytum's referral form he downgraded her to "routine" and classed the case as not one of "urgent suspected cancer" - because she was under 35.

Government guidelines issued by the National Institute for Health and Care Excellence (NICE) state any woman aged 30 or older with a discrete lump which has persisted after her period should receive an urgent referral and be seen by a specialist within two weeks.

In Wales this means Miss Maytum should have seen a specialist and had surgery to remove the tumour within two months.

But because she had been downgraded to a routine referral she had to wait five and a half months to see a specialist, with the tumour growing in her breast and spreading through her body.

An ultrasound scan performed on the day she finally saw the specialist confirmed her fears that she had cancer.

She underwent surgery and lengthy chemotherapy and was cancer for free for several years until a lump appeared in her neck in April this year and she was told by doctors she had only 18 months to live.

Miss Maytum told the hearing: "Standing or sitting for long periods of time is uncomfortable because of the cancer in my pelvis, spine and lower back.

"It's hard cleaning the house or lifting my youngest son.

"I receive a lot of help from my partner and mother-in law - they help with the children and cleaning."

Nigel Poole QC, representing Miss Maytum, told the hearing that medical experts were in "broad agreement" that a woman of Miss Maytum's age would have had a 90 per cent chance of surviving more than 10 years with urgent treatment.

He said: "That is what oncologists would regard as being cured.

"In the five and half month wait for treatment her chances of survival fell to between 70 and 80 per cent."

Miss Maytum is due to marry her partner next month and her children Megan, 14, and Zac, 10, will be by her side at the emotional service.

The brave mum, who was training to be a nurse when she was diagnosed as terminal, has been given 18 months to live.

Miss Maytum is suing Abertawe Bro Morgannwg University Health Board claiming Mr Murali-Krishnan was negligent in downgrading her case to routine.

Miss Maytum's damages claim includes the "loss of unquantifiable services of a wife and mother".

These include £7,500 a year from April 2017 to April 2027, when her son Zac will be 21, to cover the cost of a nanny for 20 hours a week at £6.93 an hour.

Mr Murali-Krishnan denies the charge and said it was "reasonable" to downgrade her case with the information he was given.

He said because of the aggressive form of cancer Miss Maytum suffers from, the delay in her treatment has made no difference to her eventual terminal illness.

He admits negligence in failing to tell her GP about the downgrading of her case and in not arranging for her case to be reviewed within three months.

A High Court hearing in Cardiff was told Mr Murali-Krishnan and two other surgeons at the hospital had now changed their policy to meet national guidelines.

Court   Health

ASSEMBLY members could receive a pay increase of £10,000 after the 2016 election, the body which sets their salaries has said.

The independent Remuneration Board for the National Assembly for Wales has published proposals for AM salaries for the Fifth Assembly.

The proposals are part of a complete review of all remuneration and financial support for AMs.

Under the proposals, AMs in the Fifth Assembly would receive a salary of £64,000.

Pay would then rise or fall in line with average earnings in Wales.

The Board also makes a range of proposals for a range of other posts, including the First Minister, whose pay would increase to £140,000.

Sandy Blair, chairman of the Remuneration Board, said: "As independent decision makers, our aim is to set levels of remuneration appropriate for the growing responsibilities of the most important democratic institution in Wales.

"The Fifth Assembly, starting in 2016, will be a mature Parliament like those in Westminster and Scotland, with law-making and tax-setting powers and wide-ranging influence.

"With new responsibilities come new expectations on AMs.

"We are proposing a salary for AMs which reflects the weight of responsibility they carry."

He added that proposals on pay were part of a package of changes.

"While the change in the base salary will cost around £580,000 in 2016-17, half of that (£290,000) will be offset by savings we are making in the Members' pension scheme and in reductions to some of the additional salaries paid to Ministers and other office holders."

The proposals will be finalised in the new year and tax payers are being called on to have their say by January 12.  The board is encouraging people to respond constructively to the consultation.

''We hope that the people of Wales will share our view of the standing of our National Assembly, the quality of individual they should expect to seek election and the level of performance they should demand of them," added Mr Blair.

"Clearly, people in Wales are facing difficult economic circumstances and there is great pressure on public spending. But that is precisely why Wales needs to attract the highest calibre people to be Members of the National Assembly.

"'Wales needs good governance and good government. 

"That requires a strong, effective National Assembly. For it to be so, the individual Members of the Assembly must be exceptional in their motivation and abilities and remunerated accordingly.'

"We are now consulting on the proposals. I would urge people to read the consultation document and the rationale behind our proposals so that we have a considered, measured debate about the role of remuneration in influencing the strength of our National Assembly.

"We will finalise our proposals in the New Year and intend to publish a complete package of remuneration, support and allowances in May – a year ahead of the 2016 Welsh General Election."

Rachel Moses-Lloyd / rachel.moses@swwmedia.co.uk / @racheljanemoses

The National Assembly for Wales Enterprise and Business Committee's inquiry into tourism heard that tourism is growing in Wales, with visits from domestic and international tourists, as well as associated expenditure, all increasing. However, time and again tourism businesses and academics said that Wales needs a stronger tourism brand to make the most of Wales's huge tourism potential.

The Committee welcomed the recent branding work undertaken by the Ashton Brand Consulting Group for the Welsh Government, but says that this work must be accelerated so that Wales has a clear and coherent tourism brand. Tourism businesses must be involved in this process so that all stakeholders – from Visit Wales to tourism SMEs – can work together to grow tourism in Wales.

A number of witnesses questioned whether the Welsh Government invested enough money in the tourism industry. The Committee heard that marketing spend on tourism in Wales was roughly equivalent to that of Glasgow, and also that money spent on tourism marketing often achieves a significant return on investment. The Committee therefore calls on the Welsh Government to reassess whether it is spending enough money promoting Wales as a tourism destination.

The Committee is concerned that VisitBritain (the UK Government's tourism development agency) is not doing enough to promote Wales as a distinct destination within the UK, and has called on the Welsh Government to work with VisitBritain to establish challenging growth targets for VisitBritain to increase tourism in Wales.?? The Committee welcomes the fact that similar conclusions were reached by the House of Commons Welsh Affairs Committee during its recent inquiry into the international representation and promotion of Wales by UK bodies, and calls on VisitBritain to implement the recommendations of these two reports.

During the inquiry,Assembly Members held meetings in Cardiff, Pembrokeshire and Gwynedd to hear the views and experiences of local tourism businesses.

William Graham AM, Chair of the Enterprise and Business Committee said:

"It is excellent to see the recent growth in tourism in Wales, especially given the importance of the tourism industry to the Welsh economy. However, more must be done by the Welsh Government to maximise Wales' huge tourism potential.

"A number of witnesses told us about what makes Wales so attractive and unique as a tourism destination, offering everything from unspoilt beaches and dramatic landscapes to dynamic cities, a rich industrial heritage and a vibrant living language. We were told by VisitBritain that our castles are highly valued by international visitors, who see visiting them as a "dream activity."

"On our visits we saw first-hand the excellent work being done by tourism businesses, and were excited to see the success of innovative new tourism attractions such as Bounce Below at the Llechwedd Slate Caverns.

"With this in mind, we call on the Welsh Government to strengthen Wales's tourism brand and consider whether the money it spends on tourism, and the growth targets it has, are sufficient given the significant potential for growth in this industry. The tourism industry plays a key role in the Welsh economy, and with the right support from the Welsh Government and VisitBritain it can do even more."

Report by the Enterprise and Business Committee on Tourism

Should young people in Wales be able to vote in elections from the age of 16?

The National Assembly for Wales's Presiding Officer, Dame Rosemary Butler AM, thinks that they should.

Today (20 November), is the 25th anniversary of the UN Convention of the Rights of the Child, and Dame Rosemary is launching the six-month Votes@16 conversation with 11 to 25-year-olds in Wales to find out if they agree.

"The young people of Wales can serve in the armed forces, pay taxes and get married at the age of 16, so why can't they vote?" the Presiding Officer asked.

"It's seems to me that 16-year-olds can be asked to contribute to their country's wealth without being able to have a say in how that money is spent.

"Last week the Westminster Government announced that they would legislate to allow 16-year-olds in Wales to vote in any future referendum on the devolution of tax-varying powers to Wales.

"Would it not therefore follow that they should be able to vote in all elections?"

"That's why today I am launching a national conversation with young people to find out what they think."

To take part in the 'Vote @16?' conversation, visit the 'Your Assembly – your say, your way' website at www.yourassembly.org where young people will be able to take part in an online survey.

Information will also be available through the Assembly's Twitter feeds @YourAssembly and @AssemblyWales.

• The Assembly's education and outreach teams will be attending youth group meetings, and creating information packs to allow young people to hold the debate themselves.
• The Your Assembly website will be updated regularly to let young people know how the conversation's developing. The Assembly will also post all relevant information on the website - including resources and discussions hosted by other organisations interested in this issue.
• When evidence and data has been collated, the Assembly will hold a youth day in July to consider the results and what should happen next.

The National Assembly for Wales's Presiding Officer, Dame Rosemary Butler AM, today met with the Secretary of State, Stephen Crabb MP, to discuss the Westminster Government's proposals on further devolution for Wales.

"It was a very constructive meeting with the Secretary of State," the Presiding Officer said.

"It is essential that the Assembly's voice is heard in the discussions about the future of devolution in Wales.

"Both the Secretary of State and I want to see a settlement that delivers for the people of Wales.

"To do that we need the right powers, the right capacity and a greater freedom to make our own decisions about the way we run our democracy."

During the meeting the Presiding Officer focused on the following issues:

• Reserved Powers – moving to a reserved powers model will help to dispel some of the uncertainty of the Assembly's role and responsibilities. It will allow the Assembly to legislate more effectively and with greater confidence;
• Capacity – the Presiding Officer has consistently called for the number of Assembly Members to be increased to at least 80 in order to ensure we have the capacity to develop the necessary expertise required to robustly hold Government Ministers to account on their policy, legislative and tax raising proposals;
• Sovereignty – the Assembly should be able to decide its own future and control decisions on matters such as the Assembly's name and electoral arrangements and internal rules, rather than Westminster, and create the best possible laws for the people of Wales.

THERE is severe congestion on the M4 near Swansea tonight after a single vehicle collision.

The incident has partially blocked the eastbound carriageway between junction 47 - the A48 at Penllergaer - and junction 46 - the A48 at Llangyfelach.

The matrix sign has been sent to 50mph.

Reports suggest very slow traffic in the area.

There is also heavy traffic on the M4 in both directions between J42 - the A48 at Earlswood roundabout - and J41 - the A48 at Baglan.

And slow traffic is being reported on the M4 between J46 - the A48 at Llangyfelach - and J45 - the A4067 at Ynysforgan.

Traffic and travel

ELEVEN ambulances were stacked up bumper to bumper queuing to offload patients outside a Swansea A&E department.

The ambulance service had to draft in a clinical team leader as early as 8am this morning as problems at the unit at Morriston Hospital started to surface.

A spokeswoman for Abertawe Bro Morgannwg University Health Board said the issues were not unique to them but emergency services were under pressure right across Wales.

They say the rise is due to the constant increase of frail elderly patients who were admitted into emergency care and faced prolonged hospital stays.

In both September and October the level of patients aged over 80, which were seen by the department increased.

An ambulance service spokeswoman said there were 11 emergency vehicles outside the hospital at the peak of the problems.

She said: "We did at one point have 11 vehicles outside Morriston's A&E today but it decreased to eight. The longest delays were around three hours. We had clinical team leaders at the hospital this morning trying to help resolve these handover delays. I believe Morriston has had a very challenging weekend.

"The largest number of ambulances delayed were experienced around 1pm. We dispatched a clinical team leader at 8am."

A spokeswoman for Abertawe Bro Morgannwg University Health Board said they were working hard to see patients as quickly as possible. She added: "Like other health boards across Wales we are very busy and our emergency services are under a lot of pressure.

"We are seeing a continuing increase in the number of frail elderly patients who are admitted for emergency care and who have a longer stay in hospital than younger patients with similar conditions. This care includes treatment from doctors which cannot be provided in community hospitals or settings. In September and October 2014 Morriston hospital alone saw a 19 per cent increase in trauma patients of which 30 per cent were aged 80 years and over.

"Currently, 45 per cent of our beds are occupied by patients aged 75 years and over, with 30 per cent of patients aged 80 years and over. "This increase in demand has neutralised the impact of the improvements and investments made earlier this year, and we are working hard to implement further improvements to address this.

"All of our patients are extremely important to us and remain at the centre of what we do. We are continuing to look at and put in place ways of ensuring all our hospital patients receive the care they need as quickly as possible.

"We are also increasing the amount of care we are providing in the community so our patients are reassured and fully supported when they are ready to leave hospital. We would like to take this opportunity to thank all our patients and visitors for their support and our staff for their hard work."

<a href="http://www.southwales-eveningpost.co.uk/lizperkins">Liz Perkins</a> / <a href="mailto:elizabeth.perkins@swwmedia.co.uk"> elizabeth.perkins @swwmedia.co.uk</a>  / <a href="https://twitter.com/lizperkinspost">@lizperkinspost</a>

TAILBACKS have caused following two rush hour accidents along the M4 in both directions this evening.

Reports of a three-car pile-up eastbound at junction 47 Penllergear first came in at 5pm leading to slowing traffic.

No-one was injured in the incident but it has caused traffic jams.

A further accident happened westbound at junction 43 Llandarcy involving two cars also at 5pm.

A police spokeswoman said: "The road was not closed after the road traffic collision at Penllergaer but traffic did slow down. There was a two-vehicle accident at Llandarcy. A recovery vehicle has been sent, the accident will be cleared shortly."

<a href="http://www.southwales-eveningpost.co.uk/lizperkins">Liz Perkins</a> / <a href="mailto:elizabeth.perkins@swwmedia.co.uk"> elizabeth.perkins @swwmedia.co.uk</a>  / <a href="https://twitter.com/lizperkinspost">@lizperkinspost</a>

IT'S not often you find a tongue-eating parasite in your fish supper.

But that's what happened to Paul Poli, a retired head teacher from Llannon, who very nearly bit into it.

The 62-year-old was tucking into a sea bass from the Morrisons Store in Trostre when he discovered the parasite, called cymothoa exigua.

Also known as the tongue-eating louse, it enters a fish through its gills, attaches itself to its tongue, then eats the tongue and effectively becomes the fish's new one, surviving on anything the fish eats.

Mr Poli has since received an apology from Morrisons, along with an offer of a bottle of wine and a £20 voucher.

He said: "It was disgusting.

"I'd bought it at lunch time and cooked it in a bag for dinner."

He said he came across the parasite as he was tucking in to his meal.

"It was about 3cm long and 8mm wide.

"I love fish but it's put me off it for life now.

"I'm worried if it came from a fish farm, others could be infected too."

The yellow parasite is not harmful to humans, but Mr Poli said he expected more from Morrisons after sending them back the evidence and contacting the chain's head office.

A spokesperson for Morrisons said: "Certain fishes often pick up parasites naturally from their eco system.

"Although we make every effort to screen these out during the skinning or packaging processes, they may be present on very rare occasions.

"Our skilled fishmongers will also identify them as they fillet a fish – Mr Poli's fish was sold un-filleted at his request.

"We have already offered Mr Poli our apologies as well as a £20 voucher as a gesture of good will."

Llanelli

A HUGE pile of '£50 notes' left on a windowsill proved too hard to resist for a pair of burglars.

Unfortunately, they were left weeping in them when they broke in only to find that the notes were actually novelty tissues.

Michael Hogg, 33, and Andrew Wood, 28, were detained by police after smashing the window of the property, waking the owner in the process.

They were sentenced to a total of seven years after their own lawyer said in mitigation: "It is an offence borne out of stupidity.".

Mitigating for Hogg, Matthew Collins said: "He saw what he thought in his deprived state was money. It turned out to be tissues which had a £50 note printed on it.

"He walked away feeling very stupid. He realises the effect it has had on the victim."

The court heard Hogg had 40 convictions for 61 offences including other house burglaries, while Woods had 73 convictions for 144 offences.

The Judge, Simon Bourne-Arton, said at Teesside Crown Court that both were persistent criminals and the public needed to be protected from them.

HERE'S 5 stories you will definitely want to read in Tuesday's South Wales Evening Post:

1. The butt of a single cigarette, dropped on the floor in Llanelli town centre, will see a Burry Port man cough up more than £450.

2. With two leading universities it is no surprise that Swansea is home to a vibrant international student community. Richard Youle speaks to students about life in the city...

3. A woman diagnosed with ovarian cancer two years ago, who began a trek all over the principality to raise awareness of the disease earlier this year, has returned to South West Wales.

4. An independent trader from Mumbles has featured in a new artwork by the man who designed The Beatles' famous Sgt Pepper's album cover.

5. He was the Gower man who perished amid the harshest of conditions during Captain Robert Falcon Scott's ill-fated 1912 expedition to Antarctica. Now over a century later a special tribute is to be paid to Edgar Evans.

A MAGNIFICENT new documentary series goes behind the scenes of Tatler, the society magazine of choice for Britain's most privileged.

It allows us a glimpse of the awfully nice staff, under the leadership of editor and self-confessed honking great Sloane Kate Reardon, as they make decisions based on what they think the great and good would want to read – a feature on side-saddle racing anyone?

One establishing shot reveals exactly what this entertaining film and the magazine is all about – Joanna Lumley, sipping champagne at a polo match.

Established in 1709, Tatler still boasts a loyal readership of 160,000 and this profile spends six months shadowing its team including new boy Matthew Bell who is – horror – only middle class as opposed to his Cheltenham Ladies College' educated boss.

He is desperate to impress Kate but is his idea to see how many posh parties he can gatecrash in one summer season the right way?

Meanwhile, the wonderfully named Sophia Money-Coutts goes out and about finding ways the aristocracy, the magazine's bread and butter audience, finds ways of making ends meet.

It's worth watching for the segment when she goes shopping in Poundland to see what little items she can pick up for £15.

For someone raised in a world black Labradors and tweed, it's a whole new world.

Posh People: Inside Tatler is on BBC2 at 9pm.

Kathy Griffiths / kathy.griffiths@swwmedia.co.uk / @_kathygriff

TV

 A MAJORITY of people have revealed they would vote for a Ukip MP in South West Wales.

An Evening Post poll of 1,500 people revealed that  82 per cent would vote for the party in Swansea, Neath Port Talbot and Carmarthenshire.

It comes in the wake of Ukip winning a second Westminster seat last week.

Reader David Chaz Winstone said: "I have never voted in my life and I am 33, next election I will vote Ukip, I don't care about others' opinions, this is my own and I am entitled to it.

"If they win then good on them, it means I'm not alone. I think the run-of- the-mill Labour and Tory are done now, messed it up, if Ukip do us proud, good on them. If they mess things up well they are just the same as the others, worth the risk in my eyes."

But Helen Louise Williams said people should think twice about what Ukip leader Nigel Farage has said.

She said: "I think everyone should slow down. He is saying all the right things but just seems a very dangerous man with some strange ideas. I am for the slow down in immigration but there are a lot of other things that, to be frank, scare me."

Aberavon Labour candidate Stephen Kinnock said: "Online polls such as this are always open to abuse and seldom give an accurate reflection of any situation. Specialist polling shows that while support for Ukip has increased, they look unlikely to elect any MPs in Wales next year.

"Ukip have shown themselves to be a party more Tory than the Tories. They are reliant on Tory money, Tory people and Tory policies."

Meanwhile, a Plaid Cymru spokeswoman said: "The people of Wales know that the Westminster elite is not delivering for them, and they are looking for alternatives.

"Plaid Cymru wants to rebalance power and wealth throughout the UK, bringing powers home to the people of Wales and making sure the poorest communities get investment."

A Welsh Liberal Democrat spokesman said: "David Cameron's lurches to the right, trying to out-Ukip Ukip as he chases after lost votes, show that the Tories are threatened by Nigel Farage.

"It's the Liberal Democrats who have consistently stood up to Ukip, and we'll continue to stick to what we believe in by showing the dangers Ukip pose to our country."

But Byron Davies AM, Assembly Member for South Wales West, hit back and added: "The latest opinion polls in Wales confirm that the Welsh Conservatives remain the main challengers to Carwyn Jones's lazy Labour Government, which has been in power continuously for 15 years."

<a href="http://www.southwales-eveningpost.co.uk/lizperkins">Liz Perkins</a> / <a href="mailto:elizabeth.perkins@swwmedia.co.uk"> elizabeth.perkins @swwmedia.co.uk</a>  / <a href="https://twitter.com/lizperkinspost">@lizperkinspost</a>

A FFOREST father has told a court he grew cannabis at his home to help cope with pain following a road accident.

Dean Clive Russell, from Carmarthen Road, pleaded guilty at Llanelli Magistrates' Court to a single count of cannabis production. Prosecutor Vaughan Pritchard-Jones said: "Police officers say at 3.30pm they were on foot patrol and they could smell cannabis from the street.

"They went towards the property, knocked on the door and the defendant answered the door. The officers went into the property and they could clearly smell cannabis within the property as well. They found what they call skunk cannabis."

There was a freshly cut stalk stem with the leaves still intact. A cannabis plant was also found growing in the garage.

District judge Neil Thomas criticised Russell for growing the drug at the property where his two children lived, however the 43-year-old claimed he grew the cannabis away from the children.

Defence solicitor Richard Morgan said: "Some 20 years ago he was involved in quite a serious road traffic accident. He was knocked down by a lady in another vehicle and suffered injury to the lower back."

Russell was taking four types of pain killers at one point to control the pain but had to stop due to the adverse effect it was having on his health. Mr Morgan said the medication was impacting both his physical and mental health.

Judge Thomas ordered the forfeiture and destruction of the drugs and fined the professional carpenter £150. He was also ordered to pay costs of £85 and a £20 victim surcharge.