MICHEL Vorm reckons Swansea City must get physical if they are to take the next step in the Premier League, claiming: "It's always us on the receiving end of elbows and kicks."

Swansea have earned a glowing reputation as one of the best footballing sides in the Premier League over the last couple of seasons.

Their eye-catching, progressive approach has brought Swansea admirers and success in equal measure since they climbed out of the Championship.

But Vorm reckons there is a need for Michael Laudrup's men to add steel to their style if they are to continue their remarkable progress in the top flight.

Swansea outplayed West Bromwich Albion in the first half at the Hawthorns last weekend but ended up losing the game — albeit after a shocking refereeing decision — as the Baggies turned the tide of the contest in the second period. And while there was no suggestion that Steve Clarke's team had kicked Swansea out of their stride, Vorm is convinced Laudrup's players need to toughen up their act.

"It's about attitude and mentality," reckons the Dutch international goalkeeper.

"You have to not be afraid to put your foot down because the opposition do that.

"It's always us who are on the receiving end of elbows and kicks. We can also do it.

"It's part of us maturing our game, because teams can't stop us football-wise when we play so well even on a bad pitch.

"The chances we created (at West Brom) were a joy to watch. We didn't have to lose the game and that annoys me a bit.

"Most of the other teams are physically stronger than us, but sometimes we have to show that we are not only a team who plays good football.

"We also have to show the strength and power you need.

"The back four is not a problem, but the whole team need to do it."

Unless their recruitment policy in the transfer market changes dramatically, Swansea are going to be inferior to the majority of their Premier League opponents for the foreseeable future when it comes to stature.

The Liberty club's scouts are sent out to find potential signings with technical quality, players who will slot in comfortably to the possession game which has been Swansea's trademark since Roberto Martinez took the manager's job six years ago.

If those players also have some physical presence — like Michu, for instance — then all the better, but there is a problem here.

Footballers who are powerfully built and have quality on the ball tend to cost a fortune and, while Swansea's spending power is increasing all the time, they simply cannot compete at the top end of the market.

Yet Vorm insists Swansea can increase their competitive edge without bringing in fresh faces.

"West Brom tried to stop us, but we have to do more as a team — not only the back four — to fight for the ball," he adds.

"We had to be more solid and compact. They didn't really have big chances, but they won a lot of the balls.

"They played a more physical game to try to stop us.

"We have to add a physical element. You could see that we were better than the opposition football-wise (at West Brom).

"But they worked hard and we have to make sure we put our foot down and especially win the 50-50 balls.

"We were sloppy a few times in the second half and that kept them alive."

Despite Swansea's struggles after the break last weekend, the consensus among the travelling contingent was that they deserved a draw rather than a third defeat in five Premier League games.

Albion, predictably, felt otherwise, though there was no debate over whether or not what would have been a late Roland Lamah equaliser should have stood.

Between them, referee Lee Mason and assistant Lee Betts somehow managed to miss the fact that Lamah was teed up to score by Gareth McAuley and Ben Foster — two opposition players.

To rule the goal out for offside, therefore, was nonsense.

Even so there was a feeling among Swansea's players that their performance was as much to blame as the blundering officials for their weekend setback.

"The goal would have made a difference — we deserved a point and if the goal had been allowed, we would have got one," Vorm says.

"But referees are only human and they make mistakes.

"This time it wasn't good for us, it's bad luck, but those things happen a couple of times over the season.

"I don't think we lost the game because of the referee. When we play well, like we did in the first half, we have to score the goals.

"We had some good chances and they had only one shot on goal and scored once — that's more important than the mistake of a referee."

Swansea will attempt to put things right in back-to-back home games this month against Arsenal and Tottenham, though the two North London giants are sure to take some beating.

The Gunners are next up this Saturday in what should be a free-flowing contest between two sides who love to control the ball.

Vorm may be right about the need for Swansea to become more physical.

But if ever there was a Premier League fixture where physical power may not be a huge factor, this is it.

A SWANSEA club owner who says he was wrongly claimed to have hosted a concert by "white pride" activists was in fact staging an Abba night.

The online allegations followed a demonstration in the city on Saturday, when up to 100 White Pride activists exchanged chants with more than 400 anti-fascist campaigners outside the National Waterfront Museum.

It was organised via a website called the South Wales National Front, which says it is not an official National Front site.

The website reveals that, after the demo, protestors enjoyed "a well-earned drink and the celebrations went on well into the night".

The location of the get-together remains unknown, but Keith Jones, who runs The Club in Morriston, said he was angry his business had been wrongly associated with the demonstrators. He is now taking legal advice.

He said: "We had nothing to do with the protest whatsoever, but The Club has been named on Facebook and Twitter as being the venue where they came back to after the demo. But we did not stage any concert for them.

"We had an Abba night on Saturday, which I don't think is their type of music.

"I have nothing to do with them, and I don't share their views.

"I have spent four years building this business up, and don't want to be associated with this.

"How can people just write something when they don't know the facts?

"I am not happy about it, which is why I am taking legal advice."

Meanwhile, police have said they have not received any complaints about a photograph posted online, which is alleged to have been taken at the unknown venue following the demo.

MEMORIES of Dylan Thomas could be savoured for future generations thanks to a cash grant.

The Heritage Lottery Fund (HLF) has given £40,000 to the Dylan Thomas Centre in Swansea to help carry out research with the few living people who knew the Welsh poet.

And those memories will form part of an improved exhibition.

Plans also include a new education officer and outreach officer to help develop writing workshops, events and activity packs as well as taking a touring exhibition out to schools, festivals and communities.

His grand-daughter, Hannah Ellis, said: "I am thrilled that the Dylan Thomas Centre has received funding from the Heritage Lottery Fund. This opportunity will allow them to achieve their vision of modernising their exhibition to ensure it is 'ever evolving', interactive and available in a digital format. It will also help them engage with the local communities and organisations, as well as connect with a variety of audiences of different ages and diverse backgrounds."

Swansea Council has made a bid to HLF for a further £800,000 grant to help celebrate Dylan Thomas's centenary next year.

Jennifer Stewart, head of the HLF in Wales, added: "Dylan Thomas is one of the most important figures in Welsh culture and of international significance. He is a source of pride, status and inspiration to the community and there is real demand from local people to get more involved in the centre.

"We have awarded a first round pass in recognition of the potential this project could bring to the local area and Wales as a whole. There is huge competition for our grants so CCS (Swansea Council) now needs to develop its plans fully in order to compete for a firm award of up to £800,000."

Nick Bradley, Swansea Council's cabinet member for regeneration, said: "Dylan Thomas is Swansea's most famous son whose worldwide legacy is enduring and it's vital we do all we can to mark, celebrate and promote his links with our city. This is especially the case as we head towards the centenary."

WALES hooker Ken Owens believes the future is bright for the Scarlets after signing a new contract with the region.

Owens, who is currently on Six Nations duty with Wales, has penned an extension which will keep him at Parc y Scarlets until 2015.

The 26-year-old will be looking to establish himself as the Scarlets' first-choice hooker next season, with Matthew Rees joining the Blues at the end of this campaign.

Owens follows the lead of Wales team-mate Aaron Shingler in signing a new contract with the Scarlets, and the Carmarthen Athletic product is excited about the future at his home region.

"I'm delighted to be staying at the Scarlets — the region that I grew up in, where I feel at home and that has fully supported my rugby career to date," he said.

"I look forward to pushing on with my ambitions at both regional and international level by continuing to play my rugby in Wales.

"There is plenty to look forward to and I am pleased to be committed to Scarlets rugby now as competition and some depth in key positions builds in our squad."

Owens has featured in all four of Wales's Six Nations matches to date this year, impressing with his dynamic cameo appearances from the bench.

The man known as 'Cannonball Ken' is expected to be involved when Wales face England in Saturday's title decider at the Millennium Stadium, and then it will be back to regional duty.

Owens will return to a Scarlets side who currently sit in the fourth and final play-off place in the RaboDirect Pro12, and he is looking forward to putting his weight behind their bid for the title.

"The boys have done well in recent weeks to keep us in the top four of the RaboDirect Pro12 and, thanks to their hard work, we have an exciting finish to the league season when we return to Parc y Scarlets," he said.

"We have a first-class rugby environment at Parc y Scarlets to train and play at, and I'm just happy to be staying and grateful to all the Scarlets coaches I've worked with for the opportunities and support I have been given to date."

Dafydd Pritchard

HUNDREDS of people concerned about the impact of the "bedroom tax" have turned to their MPs for help.

Constituency offices have been inundated with letters, phone calls and emails in the build up to the changes to housing benefit.

Sian James said staff at her Swansea East constituency office had received a stream of calls from people facing losing as much as £700 a year in welfare benefits.

The Government scheme is intended to tackle under- occupancy in social housing. Families' benefit payments will be reduced for each under-occupied bedroom. But Mrs James said the scheme was turning into a blunt instrument to attack the most vulnerable in the community.

"The majority of the households affected who have come to us have a family member with a disability," she said.

"In one case, a family whose council home was specially converted to create a downstairs facility for their severely disabled daughter now stands to lose £14 a week because they have an unused upstairs bedroom."

Mrs James also pointed out that Swansea had a "chronic shortage of one and two bedroom homes". Estimated figures varied but Mrs James said she was meeting local housing officials to discuss the issue. "Hopefully, we can get a better idea of the scale of the problem faced by councils and social housing providers. My fear though is that they will not be able to cope," she added.

Jonathan Edwards, Plaid MP for Carmarthen East and Dinefwr, has also been helping constituents, including one man who has converted a spare bedroom into a sterile room for dialysis, who now faced a benefits cut. He said: "Another of my constituents was moved from a two bedroom into a three bedroom property because it already had the necessary adaptions in the house. That constituent will now face additional charges. It is fundamentally unfair that these constituents will now face cuts to their housing benefit."

He has been calling for rooms to be reclassified by councils, so they would not count as spare bedrooms. He added: "I've urged the county council and local housing associations to seriously consider, following legal advice, whether they are able to reclassify their housing stock to smaller properties in order to mitigate the effects."

A 23-YEAR-OLD man who met a young teenager in a disused road was blocked in by the girl's sister.

Wayne Stanley, of Empire Avenue, Neath, appeared at Swansea Crown Court charged with child abduction. He admitted the offence.

Prosecutor John Lloyd said the girl's family, social services and the police had become aware of his friendship with the girl, who was under 16, and on December 27 he was given a formal warning by police.

By signing the warning, he agreed not to contact her because it would be against her parents' wishes for him to do so. Stanley signed the order and agreed to abide by it.

But on February 9 the girl's sister saw her walking down a disused road in Neath and saw her sister get into Stanley's car.

"As a result she parked her car across the rear of his, preventing him driving away," said Mr Lloyd.

The girl told her sister: "It's not what it looks like, I am not meeting him."

The teenager told her sister she was planning on buying drugs from Stanley.

Stanley told the girl's sister: "I'm sorry."

Patrick Griffiths, representing Stanley, said: "He does now understand the wholly inappropriate way in which he behaved."

Stanley had been remanded in custody since the offence, the court heard.

"His remand has given him time to reflect as to his further conduct," added Mr Griffiths.

Judge Paul Thomas said: "I accept your relationship was a platonic one, however it was inappropriate and you were required by law not to continue it."

The sentence of 12 months was suspended for 18 months and Stanley was also ordered to complete 200 hours of unpaid work.

SWANSEA'S MPs have rounded on Tory rival David Amess after he suggested the city was an "absolute dump".

The MP, who is backing Southend-on-Sea's bid to be UK City of Culture 2017, suggested rival areas — including Swansea Bay — were unworthy of the accolade.

Amess claimed many of Southend's rivals "wouldn't know culture if it was put in front of them".

He added: "I have looked at some of the competition and frankly they are absolute dumps some of them."

Swansea East MP Sian James said Swansea Bay had a "rich and diverse heritage of contemporary culture".

She added: "Dylan Thomas' 'Ugly lovely town' could yet surprise the likes of David Amess.

"Having said that, one of Harry Secombe's raspberries is probably more fitting on this occasion."

Swansea West MP Geraint Davies also highlighted next year's Dylan Thomas centenary to answer Mr Amess's criticism.

He said: "We anticipate a massive increase in tourism as a result of the many events going on throughout Swansea. Swansea is now a global brand thanks to the Premier League success of our football team — I have not heard of any reason Southend should be a contender."

Neath MP Peter Hain accused Mr Amess of "pig-headed ignorance" and said he clearly did not have "a clue about Swansea's vibrancy as a city, its strong arts and culture nor its beauty".

Llanelli MP Nia Griffith said the remarks were "frankly disgraceful". She added: "It's ridiculous for him [Mr Amess] to try and trample down other places to boost his own area."

And Carmarthen East and Dinefwr MP Jonathan Edwards said Mr Amess's comments went "a long way to explaining why there hasn't been a Conservative MP in the Swansea area for generations".

The areas competing for City of Culture status are Aberdeen, Chester, Dundee, East Kent, Hastings and Bexhill-on-Sea, Hull, Leicester, Plymouth, Portsmouth and Southampton, Southend-on- Sea and Swansea Bay.

A winner will be announced in November.

Last night Mr Amess told the Post: "It's such a wonderful opportunity to become City of Culture I wanted to stir things up a bit, to generate a national debate.

"Parliamentarians are naturally going to sing the praises of their areas."

POLICE who raided the home of a Swansea mum, who was housing drug dealers, found more than 100 used needles in her bedroom.

Jessica Chambers, 24, described as a relapsed heroin addict, was at home with her eight- month-old child when officers made the grim discovery.

She appeared in the dock at Swansea Crown Court alongside Danny Thompson and Joey John.

Police arrived at her house on Pentrechwyth Road, Swansea, after seeing Thompson behaving suspiciously and arresting him. They had seen his Ford Focus parked on the pavement outside Tesco on Oystermouth Road, and as they went towards the car, he sped off towards Mumbles.

Prosecuting barrister James Jenkins told the court: "Obviously, it attracted their attention, it could hardly have failed to do so. He couldn't have done more to make himself obvious to police officers."

Thompson, from Thornham Street, London, was described by officers as looking anxious and hurrying to get away, before he drove off quickly said Mr Jenkins.

He was stopped by police who saw him spit out a mouthful of drugs before he was arrested. They then found cannabis in the car.

Police then searched Chambers's home and found her there with John and her child.

Heroin and cocaine were found in John's pocket along with £250 cash.

The court heard Thompson had arrived in Swansea the day before his arrest, and police suspicion had already been raised because he had failed to pay as he crossed the Severn Bridge and driven off without paying for petrol.

"He could hardly have stuck out more," said Mr Jenkins.

Thompson, 19, had owed money to a London drug dealer after racking up a debt for cannabis and had agreed to come to Swansea to act as a driver, but ended up delivering heroin and cocaine to customers.

John, aged 23, of no fixed address, said he was also indebted to a dealer in London and had come to Swansea with Thompson to work to pay off that debt.

Chambers said she had been a long-standing heroin user and met her co-accused a few days before they were arrested. She allowed the pair to stay at her home and knew they were involved in dealing drugs, the court heard. She said no deals had taken place at the house but knew they were using her house as a base.

"She has been using drugs since she was 17 and she has sadly relapsed and was hoping for heroin for letting these defendants use her home. She has paid quite a heavy price for her involvement in these matters," her barrister Frank Phillips said.

Her child had now been taken into care.

Thompson and John both received three year terms and Chambers was jailed for 18 months.

All three admitted conspiracy to supply Class A drugs.

DOCTORS have been recruited in Spain to help keep services running at Neath Port Talbot Hospital.

Health chiefs admit it is taking a lot of time and energy to maintain trained doctor coverage at the hospital, which lost its acute medicine service last year.

That led to emergency medical patients from the Neath Port Talbot area being seen in Swansea or Bridgend hospitals, where staff were also transferred to cope with the extra workload.

Abertawe Bro Morgannwg University Health Board has now published the findings of a review of last summer's urgent service change. One issue that has been flagged up in the review is staffing.

ABMU says the sustainability of the new service model relies on Neath Port Talbot Hospital's ability to recruit non-training grade doctors. These had to be of sufficient seniority to take responsibility for the hospital out of hours.

Chief operating officer Alex Howells said: "This has necessitated in an additional recruitment drive since the service change, with up to three additional doctors expected to arrive shortly from the recent Spanish recruitment exercise.

"Nurse practitioners are also playing an increasingly pivotal role."

Mrs Howells said staffing continued to be something that took a lot of time and energy to maintain. As well as recruiting in Spain, she said, the board continued to advertise clinical fellowship and locum positions.

"That isn't coming easily or automatically. It's something we need to look at in Changing For The Better," she said.

"It's still a challenge for us to recruit to fill these vacancies, and the board needs to be aware of that."

The review found that, by and large, the flow of emergency medical patients to Singleton, Morriston and Princess of Wales hospitals had been in line with assumptions.

However, there were daily fluctuations in numbers, which meant additional work was required in the Swansea and Bridgend hospitals to allow them to respond to this.

Some changes to Neath Port Talbot's cardiac arrest team will also be made, along with a drive to get more patients to attend the minor injuries unit at night.

Mrs Howells added: "There has been significant co-operation from staff on all sites in achieving progress to date."

MIKE Phillips will become the most capped Wales scrum-half of all time on Saturday — with the man who has held the record backing him to go on to become the first Welsh No. 9 to play 100 times for his country.

It has taken the former Osprey almost a decade to clamber to the top of a very long list that has on it illustrious names such as Gareth Edwards, Terry Holmes, Robert Jones, Rob Howley and Dwayne Peel.

Peel has been top of the pile for a number of years, but Phillips will overtake him when he wins cap number 77 in the Six Nations championship title decider against England on Saturday, and Peel expects his old rival to continue for some time yet.

"You never know what's around the corner, but I think it's probable Mike will go on to hit 100 caps," said Peel.

"As long as he stays fit, he should get there.

"He's obviously a good player. His biggest strength is his competitiveness.

"That goes a long way to making him the player he is."

It is hard to see why Phillips shouldn't forge on towards three figures, with the Bayonne man firmly established as Wales's first-choice in his position.

He is known to feel setting the cap record against England to be a massive honour, but his priority this weekend will be to help Wales ruin the old enemy's Grand Slam dream and pinch the title from under their noses.

Howley's side need to win by eight points to seal an improbable championship or they can get there with a seven-point success as long as England don't score two tries more than them in defeat.

The scene is set for a momentous tussle and Wales hope they will have an advantage having been through so many high-pressure occasions in recent years, with many of their squad having figured in Grand Slam deciders and a World Cup semi-final.

"I'm pleased that we've had the experience of playing in big games before," said defence coach Shaun Edwards.

"Most of our team has played in a Grand Slam game — a lot of them have played in two, some in three. They've played in a World Cup semi-final.

"I'm really hoping that experience will help on Saturday because it's a huge game."

Peel, currently sidelined by a fractured jaw, was at Murrayfield as a spectator last Saturday, and is backing his old team-mates to rise to the occasion in Cardiff.

"It would be great for the boys to win the title," he said.

"I thought they did really well to get a result up in Scotland.

"It wasn't the prettiest game, but they fronted up and played to the conditions."

The ex-Scarlet, who has started just four Tests in the past five years, said: "Being at the Scotland game does make you realise how much you miss international rugby — the atmosphere and everything.

"Do I still want to play for my country? Of course. You have to have those ambitions. It means a huge amount." Wales have welcomed Gethin Jenkins back to training for the shootout with England, but Ryan Jones remains doubtful for the finale having injured a shoulder against Scotland.

He underwent a scan yesterday and was expected to be further monitored by Welsh Rugby Union medics this morning.

MARK ORDERS

Sulien Luckman was a pupil at Ysgol Dyffryn Taf in Whitland.

His family have set up a Facebook page so that people can share their pictures and memories.

In the last few days, there have been hundreds of messages of support posted on the page to the youngster from Templeton, near Narberth

Jenny Webb said: "To Sulien and family. So sad to hear the tragic news."

Matthew Doody added: "A great young man, so friendly and full of energy. I always enjoyed his company."

Clare Staniland said: "A lovely boy who will be sadly missed by everyone who knew him. We all have very fond memories of Sulien from as way back as a baby in Parent and Toddlers."

Helen Jones added: "We heard the news of Sulien's passing last night and I just want to reach out to all of you, to express our deep sadness for you and with you at the loss of such a vibrant lovely son, brother, grandson and friend.

In a statement, staff at Ysgol Dyffryn Taf said: "This is a tragic loss of a young life and the school is doing all it can to support the pupils through this terrible time.

"There is no evidence that Sulien was being bullied at school. There have been no incidents reported nor information received that would suggest this.

"Allegations of this nature via social media are not helpful to his family or to the pupils at Dyffryn Taf.

"Our sympathy goes to the family of this young boy who was a very well liked, friendly person.

"His loss is being deeply felt by both pupils and staff, and he will always be remembered."

The police confirmed that officers are investigating his sudden death.

A spokeswoman added: "There aren't believed to be any suspicious circumstances at this stage."

To see the messages for Sulien, visit:

Emergency services were called to a car crash on the Loughor Bridge this morning.

Three vehicles were involved in the collision on the A484 heading from Llanelli towards Swansea just before 8.15am.

An ambulance spokesman confirmed one elderly man was treated at the scene for minor injuries, but said nobody was conveyed to hospital.

A police spokeswoman said: "It was a damage only collision involving a Toyota Corolla and Citroen Berlingo.

"There is no further police involvement."

Following the incident, commuters out of Llanelli were caught in long tailbacks.

JACK Wilshere will miss Arsenal's trip to Swansea City on Saturday after being ruled out for three weeks with an ankle problem.

The midfielder has been recuperating in Dubai after sustaining the problem in the Gunners' 2-1 reverse to Spurs on March 3.

He will also be unavailable for Arsenal's Champions League match with Bayern Munich tomorrow (Wednesday) and England matches against San Marino and Montenegro.

Arsenal boss Arsene Wenger said: "Wilshere has an inflamed ankle, the other ankle. He will be out for Bayern, Swansea and for England.

"Hopefully for the Premier League, he will only miss one game because of the international break.

"I noticed recently he has had to dig deep for us, it's not welcome for us but he needed a breather.

"But it's more preventative. We trust our people who are specialists."

THE family of a woman who died following a road collision in Carmarthenshire, have said their thoughts and prayers are with the six other passengers injured.

Emma Louise Llewellyn, 22, died on Sunday, following the collision at 5.25pm on the A477, between Red Roses and Llanteg in the county.

The incident involved a green coloured Peugeot 206, driven by Emma, of Wenvoe, near Cardiff, and a blue coloured Kia Sportage, driven by a male from the Risca area of Gwent.

 
Emma's family said: "Our thoughts and prayers are with the other passengers, and we thank the emergency services and the staff at the hospital for all their efforts in treating Emma."

A total of seven casualties were taken to Haverfordwests's Whithybush Hospital and Swansea's Morriston Hospital, via Dyfed-Powys Plice air support unit and Wales Air Ambulance.

Emma later died of her injuries at Morriston Hospital. 

Dyfed-Powys Police are appealing for any witnesses to the incident.  Anyone with information should contact them on 101.

Emergency services have been called to Llanelli town centre after a lorry collided with a traffic light.

Fire crews, police and ambulance personnel were called to the incident on Hall Street at around 10.45am this morning.

A fire service spokesman said two appliances from Llanelli were in attendance.

He said: "We had a call to Hall Street from the police at 10.45am.

"It is a heavy goods vehicle that mounted the central island and collided with the traffic lights.

"There are no persons trapped there. Police and ambulance are in attendance."

Police officers were directing traffic around the scene of the accident.