A Welsh View

Video: The World's Biggest St David's Parade

Footage of the world's biggest St David's Day parade that took place in Cardiff yesterday.

World's Biggest Love Spoon

A 44ft (13.41m) love spoon being carved outside Cardiff Castle is due to be completed in the next few days.

Ed Harrison from Pontsian, Ceredigion, is attempting to break the world record for the largest wooden spoon which currently stands at 25ft 9in (7.86m).

Using a chainsaw, Mr Harrison is carving the spoon out of a felled Red Cedar tree from the Caerphilly area.

It has taken him over a week to finish the spoon which features a heart, cage, dragon and links, all symbolising love. Link

Related: Wikipedia: Love Spoon

Cleaning The Millennium Stadium

This is a job I wouldn't fancy doing. Mind you, the view would be great. In case you are wondering, he's cleaning the Millennium Stadium in Cardiff, Wales.

Learn Welsh For Free

Want to learn Welsh? For the rest of this week icWales in conjunction with Linkwordlanguages is offering people to learn an extensive vocabulary and basic grammar in 10-12 hours. The free offer covers the first five sections of Linkword Level 1, with the downloads available in either the software or the MP3 audio version. You can download the first part here if you want the other parts you will need to revisit the link each day this week.

Update: Thanks to Dave for pointing out that with a little tweaking of the URL you can download all of the MP3 files at once rather than waiting until Friday.

Welshman Paints English Insult On Pub Sign

A Welsh signwriter who painted an insulting comment on a London pub sign has been rumbled.

Instead of the traditional Prince of Wales motto ‘Ich dien’ or ‘I serve’, he painted ‘Twll din pob sais’ or “All English are a**eholes!”

He was finally rumbled during a visit by a Welsh-speaking member of the pub’s management team.

...one drinker at the pub said: “You don’t get many people around here who speak Welsh, so fair play, it’s a wonder he didn’t get away with it for much longer.

“It’s a bit of a laugh. I just wish I’d seen the bosses’ faces when they found out they’d spent all that cash to have that written outside.

“I don’t think anybody here’s got anything against the Welsh. I like a bit of Tom Jones.”

The only picture of the pub that I could find was the one above. There's a larger version here but you can't make out the text on the sign. Link [via]

Ban For Welsh 'Good Morning'

A call centre in South Wales has ordered staff to stop saying "good morning" in Welsh as well as in English in case it damages their vocal cords.

Vale of Glamorgan Council imposed the ban after unions complained about English-speaking staff in Barry, South Wales, having to give the extra greeting “Bore da”.

Welsh-language specialists and council employees said it was “absurd”.

But Dave Joyce, of the Communication Workers Union, said: “Call centre jobs can be intense and staff spend a big part of the day on the phone.”

Maybe they can also cut back on all that other crap that they give you when you call a call centre.

Whilst I think it's good that the Welsh language lives on, I don't like how you are given everything in both English and Welsh. It annoys me when some ATM machines add an extra step in the process asking you whether you want English or Welsh. Just give my money! Rant over.

Wales - "Dem Singing Bastards"

Seen at St Fagans.

Birds-Eye View Of Newport

Windows Live Maps has recently added 3.8TB of 'bird-eye' footage from cities around the world and for some reason they've added my hometown of Newport. It's so much better viewing your town from this angle rather than a 2D satellite image. I'm not sure where I was when this was taken. The car is not outside the house or work.

You can view the complete list of cities added here.

Did Kanye West Order A Curry From Newport?

On the weekend the British Raj restaurant in Newport, south Wales announced that rapper Kanye West had ordered a £2,000 curry banquet to be delivered to him New York City. The news brought a lot of publicity for the restaurant and featured in many British newspapers and was covered by the TV news.

The food was due to be delivered today but according to the BBC, West's publicist and manager have both said that no meeting has been planned and he is filming in Los Angeles.

So did the Raj make up the story? Perhaps not, the meal was flown from a Newport golf course to London Heathrow by helicopter and the the Raj is claiming that they have been paid for the banquet.

If it's true that the meeting hasn't been planned, someone will enjoy a slap up curry.

American Rapper Kanye West Orders Welsh Curry

American rapper Kanye West has ordered a £2,000 takeaway from a restaurant in south Wales to be delivered to him in New York - along with the chef.

The British Raj restaurant in Rogerstone near Newport said it is preparing a rare five foot long Ayre fish for the rapper and his entourage.

The food and head chef Kaysor Ahmed will be flown by helicopter to Heathrow on Tuesday before they fly to New York.

Musad Ahmed believes the company were aware of The British Raj because the restaurant has provided takeaways for pop stars performing in south Wales on previous occasions, including Girls Aloud.

I'm going to have to visit this restaurant to see what all the fuss is about.

Welsh Happenings

Sheep Droppings Cause Football Match Postponement
A referee called off a football match because sheep droppings on the pitch posed a health and safety risk.

Snowdon Will Be Snowless By 2020
Welsh academics have warned that Wales' highest mountain, Snowdon, will lose its snow cover by 2020 as a result of climate change.

The Boy Who Forgets To Breathe
A 3-year-old boy from Cardiff suffers from a rare condition which means his body forgets to inhale and exhale.

Wales Top Of Britain's Sick List

A survey by market researchers using a combination of official data, the census and surveys has shown that 8 of the top 10 sickest places in Britain are in south Wales.

Merthyr Tydfil is named as the most unhealthy place in the UK, with Rhondda Cynon Taf and Neath Port Talbot coming third and fourth. Carmarthenshire, Caerphilly, Torfaen and Bridgend also have the highest levels of serious illness and the poorest diets.

I'm not sure how well the other south Wales counties such as Newport and Cardiff did.

At the other end of the list were the City of London and rural areas such as the Isles of Scilly. [Thanks Russ]

Welsh Happenings

Man Dies After Being Hit By Runaway Van
A man was killed when a runaway delivery van knocked him through the side of a Gwent house. But he was not discovered until five-and-a-half-hours after the incident, and after emergency services had left the scene and the householder had returned home.

Eye And Cello On Bus 'Lost List'
A bus company has released its "top five" of lost property left behind on its vehicles in south Wales. A cello, false teeth and a glass eye were among the oddest of the hundreds of objects found by staff.

Welsh Choir Produces Fastest-Selling Classical Album Of All Time
A 60-strong Welsh choir has produced the fastest-selling classical album of all time. The Fron Male Voice Choir, which has a combined age of 3,979, has sold 165,000 copies of its debut album within three weeks of release.

Welsh Happenings

Welsh Women Most Glamourous
Welsh women are the most glamorous in the UK, according to research out today.

Wales Suffers Christmas Tree Shortage
Consumers heading to a major Forestry Commission site in South Wales might be shocked to find the trees on sale have not been harvested from the thousands growing there, but have actually been transported hundreds of miles from a nursery in Northern Ireland.

Stadium Snowman Is Found In River
A giant snowman, stolen from a Christmas theme park at Cardiff's Millennium Stadium, has been found in the River Taff. The 8ft (2.44m) snowman, called Percy, was badly damaged but organisers hope he can be patched up enough to return to the Blizzard Funderworld event.

100 Animals Kept At Council House
Around 100 animals were found in "appalling conditions" in a three-bedroomed council house in Swansea, a district judge has heard.

Now Welsh Beer Cheers Russians
It might be famous for vodka but now Russia is sampling Welsh beer for the first time in the run-up to Christmas. One of the major wholesale distributors of beer in South Wales, the Swansea- based Hurns Beer Company Ltd, is celebrating supplying beer to Russia, the first time winter Welsh beer has been exported there.

Road Signs

Seen in South Wales. [via]

Welsh Happenings

Man Jailed For Killing Swan
A hungry man who tried to eat a swan while fasting during the Muslim festival of Ramadan was today given a two-month jail sentence. For those that don't know, the Swan is classed as the Queen's birds and killing one is a criminal offense. He may well have been sentenced for killing a bird belonging to the Queen but it is probably more likely that he was jailed simply for killing the bird.

Welsh Oranges Used For Ice Cream
Welsh oranges (you read that correctly) have been used to make ice cream. The oranges were grown on a West Wales estate where high walls helped shield the oranges from the wind and helped reatina heat overnight.

Prince Of Wales To Buy First Welsh Home
The Prince of Wales is to buy his first home in Wales which he plans to use when he and the Duchess of Cornwall are visiting the country. The purchase, is "symbolically significant" because although he is the Prince of Wales, Charles has until now not owned a property in the country.

Welsh Mourn Cars

Apparently, the Welsh wail when they say goodbye to an old car and are also most likely to think of their motor as a female. Hmm... I've never looked at cars as being female and I never cried when the Fiat Uno (the first car I drove) was part-ex'd for the Kia.

Wales On The Web May Become .cym

Welsh websites could soon choose a .cym address rather than .uk, if a campaign backed by assembly members succeeds.

The dotCym organisation has got backing from people in commerce, design, publishing and the legal sectors, but needs to persuade ICANN.

The dotCym petition has almost 5,000 signatures from people supporting the idea. A .cym TLD would be help greatly in promoting Wales and the Welsh language so go and add your name to the petition.

Aberfan Disaster Remembered

Survivors of the Aberfan disaster, which killed 144 people, mainly children, have joined bereaved relatives at a private service.

At 9:51am on October 21st, 1966, a huge spoil tip from a local coal mine slipped down the mountain and buried the village school and 18 homes leaving 116 children and 28 adults dead.

Sadly, the disaster could have been avoided. Underneath the spoil tip was a natural spring that, along with heavy rain, helped contribute to the spoil tip collapsing.

The National Coal Board (NCB), headed by Lord Robens, claimed it had been unaware of the spring despite it being marked on some maps. The NCB was subsequently blamed for the disaster. Robens never apologised.

Whilst that alone would have made Robens a hated man, on the day of the disaster he did not rush to the scene; he instead went to accept an appointment as chancellor of the University of Surrey.

Related:-

Wikipedia entry
The image that defined a disaster
Animation showing how the disaster happened

Video: Building Newport's Footbridge

Watch a timelapse video of Newport's new footbridge being constructed. The video contains the largest crane in the UK.

Was Guiness Created By A Welshman?

According to The Thirsty Dragon, a new book by author Lyn Ebenezer, Guinness was created by a Welshman.

...Lyn Ebenezer claims Welshman Arthur Price left Pigeonsford, in Cardiganshire, in the 18th century for Ireland and took his recipe for the drink that was to become Guinness with him.

Price went on to become the last Protestant Archbishop of Cashel, in Ireland, where he earned a reputation for the warmth of his hospitality and the strength of his drink.

When he died Price left behind the recipe for Guinness in a communion letter, claims Mr Ebenezer.

Apparently it's not the first time Guinness has been linked to Wales - previous claims have suggested the drink was originally known as porter and was imported to Ireland from North Wales.

Cwtchy Not So Catchy

Wales' dialect patters are the most insular in all of Britain according to words researcher, Simon Elmes.

Although words like 'butty', 'twp' and 'cwtch' are used by English- speakers in Wales, they have not travelled. In contrast, most people across the UK understand the basics of Geordie or Cockney slang, says author Simon Elmes. He said: 'Strangely, not many words from Wales travel outside.'

Of course, as a Welshman I know what cwtch means but do you?

Welsh Happenings

Welsh Countryside Needs To Be 'Supersized'
Wales' obesity boom has got so extreme that the countryside needs to be "supersized" so overweight people can climb over stiles and gates.

Kissing gates that are only big enough for slimline walkers and narrow gaps on stiles are believed to deter obese people from heading for the great outdoors.

Tanning Shop Flasher Put On Sex Register
A tanning shop flasher who asked a woman to "test" sunbeds for him was ordered to go on a sex offender programme today.

Night Ban On Sportswear In Pubs
Sportswear, hooded tops and caps are to be banned from bars at night in Rhyl in a crackdown on pub crime. Licensees will have the right to refuse entry to anyone wearing such clothing after a 9pm watershed.

We've had this ban in some pubs in Newport for some time and has proved effective.

Welsh Happenings

Wales Has Best Groomed BuildersWales is home to some of Britain's best groomed builders. Nearly a third of Welsh brickies admit to spending between four and 10 hours on personal grooming every week compared to a British average of three and a half hours.

Movie Mice Add Spice To Thriller
Movie-goers watching a thriller at a Cardiff cinema had an added fright when mice were seen scuttling under the seats. The rodents at the Cineworld cinema, in Cardiff city centre, were thought to be feeding on dropped popcorn.

Same Name Streets Cause 'Chaos' Two streets with the same names in the Welsh town of Barry are causing chaos. The confusion has resulted in ambulances turning up at the wrong house in an emergency and mail being delivered to incorrect addresses.

Robin Hood Was Welsh

At least that's what an American author is claiming. In his new book, Stephen Lawhead claims that Robin Hood was actually a Welshman called Bran ap Brychan, instead of the more recognised Robin of Loxley, and would have carried out their thieving in the Marsh, a primeval forest in Wales in the 11th century, more than a hundred years before the English Robin Hood.

The suggestion that Robin Hood was Welsh has caused a stir with Nottingham County Council.

"We laugh at this suggestion.

"We imagine this author is trying to make a name for himself with the outrageous suggestion that Wales is the home of our beloved Robin Hood.

"Maybe this author is being paid by the Welsh tourist board? Hands off our Robin!"

[Thanks Colin and Stan for the link]

Welsh Happenings

Charlotte Church Loves Wearing Big Knickers
Charlotte Church says she loves wearing big knickers. The singer-turned-chat show host was quick to leap to the defence of her big knickers after they were spotted by keen-eyed paparazzi.

Man Dies After 20 Hour Drink Binge
A railway worker who died after a marathon 20-hour boozing session was nearly eight times over the drink-drive limit.

Martin Nott, 40, of Caerphilly, had an alcohol level of 611 milligrams in 100 millilitres of blood - one of the highest readings recorded in Britain. The legal limit is 80 milligrams.

April 2, 2007 - Public Smoking Ban
Smoking will be banned in public places from April 2, 2007.

Welsh University To Offer Sitcom Writing Course
Cardiff University is offering a 10-week course which promises to teach the skills which separate a rejected script from a commissioned series.

Video: A Walk Across The Transporter Bridge

As part of the 100th anniversary celebrations, the Transporter Bridge in Newport has been opened up to the public and for a small fee you can walk across the top of it. The last time I got to walk across it was many years ago when I was too young ot remember most of it.

It is certainly not for everyone as you have to walk on a relatively thin metal grate and there isn't a great deal to protect you from falling over the side. For those who do have the courage to walk across the top, the views are spectacular and you get to see a lot of Newport, particularly on a clear day.

The video is 3:30 mins long which is how long it takes to walk from one end to the other. It has also been edited on the surprisingly powerful video editor on my Nokia N80.

Owain Glyndŵr Cider & Galettes Festival

I'm off to the Owain Glyndŵr Cider & Galettes festival in Caerleon. Don't know who Owain Glyndwr is? He was last Welshman to hold the title Prince of Wales (Owain IV of Wales) and is well-known for his rebellion against the English. On September 16, 1400, Glyndŵr instigated the Welsh Revolt against the rule of Henry IV of England. Although initially successful, the uprising was eventually put down — Glyndŵr was last seen in 1412 and was never captured. Wikipedia has a lot more info.

Of course, I'm going for the history and not the Welsh food and beer ;o)

Welsh Happenings

Police Propose Needle Vending Machine
Drug addicts could get Britain's first vending machine dispensing clean needles - outside a police station.

Man Lives With Dead Wife For 5 Months
A pensioner lived with the remains of his late wife for five months because he could not come to terms with the shock of her death, an inquest heard.

The mummified remains of Howard Lewis' wife Elizabeth, 79, were found in a bed in the house in Pontypridd in November by police after neighbours called them.

One In 10 Welsh 'Felt Unloved As Children'
More than one in 10 adults in Wales felt unloved as children, a survey reveals today.

Cardiff Is "Less Welsh" Than Shrewsbury
Cardiff is "less Welsh" than Shrewsbury, according to a surprising new set of figures. Researchers found that the Welsh capital had one of the nation's lowest percentages of adults with names from Wales (21.30%) and even English border towns such as Shrewsbury (22%) and Leominster (21.54%) had a higher proportion of Welsh names on their electoral rolls.

Happy Birthday Transporter Bridge

Newport's historic Transporter Bridge turns 100 today. The 242ft high bridge was opened on September 12th, 1906 by Viscount Tredegar and is one of only eight that exist in the world. It was the seventh to be built and the third such bridge built outside France.

The bridge was built to cope with rapid development on the east side of the river and to take workers to the Lysaghts steelworks in particular.

The design was chosen because the river banks are very low at the desired crossing point where an ordinary bridge would need a very long approach ramp to attain sufficient height to allow ships to pass under, and a ferry could not be used during low tide at the site.

The fare to use the bridge is 50p (94 cents / 74 euros) and pedestrians go free.

Related: Gallery of images, Friends of the Transporter Bridge, interview with Didier Leinekugel Le Cocq (grandson of Ferdinand Ardonin, the bridge's designer)

Picture credit

Welsh Happenings

Sheep Poo Paper Scoops Top Award
Gardeners know it is ideal for making compost but now a company in Snowdonia has won an award for being even more innovative with sheep droppings.

Creative Paper Wales has produced greetings cards and gifts made from the by-products of its woolly neighbours.

The Welshest Place In Wales
A tiny market town has been named the "Welshest place in Wales" by new research looking at the origins of residents' names.

Names of 42 million voters across the UK have been analysed to determine their ethnic origins by first names and surnames. And Llangefni was revealed to be the place where there are "most Welsh" people living.

Man Named Beer Appears In Court On Sixth Drink-Driving Offence
A man named Beer has appeared in court for his sixth drink-driving offence since 1987.

Welsh Happenings

"Rob The Rubbish" To Clean Up Everest
A retired social worker known affectionately as "Rob the Rubbish" is to take his litter picking mission to Everest Base Camp. He has already walked up Snowdon and Britain's highest mountain, Ben Nevis, to pick up litter.

Charlotte Church Has Best Celeb Breasts
A new survey claims that Charlotte Church has the best boobs in Britain. The Welsh singer and presenter beat fellow curvaceous Brit beauty Kelly Brook to the number one spot in the survey conducted for the Fayreform National Breast Pride Week 2006.

Road Closes Due To Burning Cheese
Cheese caused the shutdown of part of an expressway in the early hours yesterday. The A55 in North Wales was after the cargo of cheese on an Irish lorry was set alight by heat from a burst tyre.

Welsh Happenings

'A Cider A Day Keeps The Doctor Away'
A glass of cider might be more effective than an apple a day at keeping the doctor away, scientists believe. Researchers believe chemicals in cider apples can protect against stroke, heart disease and cancer.

Alexis Is New Bog Snorkelling World Champion
Cardiff is celebrating its latest world champion today. Bog snorkelling sensation Alexis Howell fended off competition from around the globe to be crowned the ladies world champion in the 21st annual World Bog Snorkelling Championships, held in the Mid Wales town of Llanwrtyd Wells.

Junk-Mail Tip Postman Faces Sack
A Welsh postman who advised people how to stop junk mail being delivered to their home could lose his job after bosses suspended him for misconduct. Roger Annies composed and circulated a leaflet about the Royal Mail's opt-out clause for unsolicited mail during his rounds in Barry, south Wales.

A Welsh View For No. 1

A Welsh View got a step closer to claiming the no. 1 spot on Google for the search query 'Welsh'. For the first time I've got up to no. 4. Hopefully if I continue to post more Welsh related articles I'll be able to claim the top spot.

Video: Welsh Countryside

Here's a short video that I took whilst at 'Goosestock 2006' at the Goose & Cuckoo pub in Upper Llanover. The video shows the gorgeous Welsh countryside that's just a short drive away from me. The pub is perched on the side of a mountain that is miles away from civilisation and is so peaceful. A pub has been in this location since the 1700s and used to serve miners coming over the mountain on their way home.

Welsh Happenings

Man Jailed After Pub Row Over £1 Coin
A man has been jailed after permanently scarring a young father in a fight over a £1 coin.

Welsh Students Are Happier With Their Uni Course Than English Students Are
Research has shown that students in Wales are more satisfied with their courses than their counterparts in England.

Is There Such A Thing As A Welsh Moo?
A top linguistics expert believes that cows in different parts of Britain have different accents. However, Welsh farmers disagree.

Welsh Happenings

Man Was Obsessed With Clocks
A Welsh widower became so obsessed with time he filled his bungalow with 650 clocks. Ron Kendrick spent his days winding them so they ticked and chimed non-stop. Ron died recently and the clocks are expected to fetch £10,000 at auction.

6-Year-Old Boy Gets Stuck In Shoe Rack
Firefighters were called to a Mertyhr Tydfil home to rescue a boy who had become entangled in a metal shoe rack. With a little pulling and tugging the boy was easily released.

Welsh Castle Hosts Harp Playing Record
A group of musicians are claiming the world record for the highest number of harps played at the same time. The 45 harpists, who are touring north Wales, performed a concert in the 13th Century Denbigh Castle.

For Sale: World's Oldest Record Shop

A Welsh record shop which is probably the world's oldest is up for sale. Spillers Records in Cardiff has been selling music since 1894 and has a place in the Guinness Book of World Records.

Originally setup by Henry Spiller to cater for aspiring merchant classes in the city, the shop specialised in the sale of phonographs, wax phonograph cylinders and shellac phonograph discs.

Despite competition from major chains and now internet downloads, Spillers has continued to flourish but if a buyer is not found there is a risk that the shop will have to close.

Welsh Happenings

'We'll See Aliens In The Next 10 Years'
A Welsh professor has predited that 'we'll see aliens in the next 10 years'.

Bible Messages Led Man To Commit Suicide
A devout Christian killed herself after seeing messages in the Bible, an inquest heard yesterday. Sylvia Kumi, 36, told her doctor she was reading the Bible when she saw the message, "You don't belong here - you are not honest."

Welsh Capital Most Expensive Place To Live In The UK
Research has shwon that Cardiff is the most expensive place to live in the UK with residents committing a whopping 97% of their wages to outgoings. In comparison, residents in London spend 75%.

Eating Welsh Food For A Week Day 3

Welsh Happenings

Welsh Ambulance Service Worst In Britain
Next time you are in Wales and urgently need an ambulance it will probably be quicker to call a taxi. The Welsh Ambulance Service is the worst in Britain for responding on time to emergencies.

Driverless Car Careers Across Commuter Lanes
Two commuters had a lucky escape when a runaway car stopped just 2ft away from them. Echo reporter Ben Glaze, 23, and friend Kathryn Williams were chatting when the car rolled down a hill, careered across three lanes of rush-hour traffic, and came to rest against a bus stop kerb.

Welsh Action Man Fans To Celebrate Toy's 40th Birthday
Boy's toy Action Man may be stomping into middle age, but fans are lining up to celebrate his 40th birthday. Ade Pitman, who set up the UK 1:6 Collectors Club from his home in Barry, Vale of Glamorgan, is organising a show for Action Man devotees across the UK.

Eating Welsh For A Week Day 1

Eating Welsh For A Week Day 2

Welsh Sign Gets Lost In Translation

Welsh cyclists have been left confused by a bilingual road sign that has been telling them they had problems with an inflamed bladder.

In English the sign said "cyclists dismount" but rather than saying the same in Welsh it said "llid y bledren dymchwelyd" which literally means "bladder inflammation upset" (or tip or overturn).

It is possible that an online translation led to confusion between cyclists and cystisis. The Vale of Glamorgan Council said new signs were being made. [via]

Can You Eat Only Welsh Food For A Week?

Is it possible to eat all Welsh food for a week? Hywel Griffith from the BBC aims to find out. Throughout this week he'll no doubt be eating Cawl, Welsh Rarebit and cockles.

Welsh Happenings

'Mum, There's A Snake In The Bath
A 13-year-old girl found an 18-inch corn snake in the bath in the middle of the night. The snake disappeared down the plughole but returned hours later. On first sight she thought that the snake was fake.

Man Robbed At Knifepoint For Birthday Card
A young man was robbed at knifepoint of £30 he was carrying inside a birthday card. The birthday card was a present for one of his friends.

Man's Stolen Car Keeps Getting Speeding Tickets
A Swansea man is picking up speeding fines for his car stolen almost a month ago. The cheeky culprits responsible are dashing up and down roads leaving him with a string of speeding tickets.

Welsh Happenings

Man Banned From Chinese Takeaways
A man has been banned from entering all Chinese food outlets - both takeaways and restaurants - for two years, after abusing takeaway staff.

Abandoned 19th Century Village Discovered On Mountainside
The ruins of an extensive mountain village have been found on the slopes of the Sugar Loaf, near Abergavenny. The village is thought to have been lived in from the early 1700s to the mid or late 19th century.

Welsh Cheese One Of World's Greatest
A Welsh cheese has been named one of the best in the world. The creamery which makes Old Shire cheese has been awarded a gold medal in a prestigious global competition.

Welsh Happenings

Leek To Get Modern Makeover
The image of the humble leek is to be given a boost as part of a new campaign to put the vegetable back on our plates.

Welsh Language In Decline
New research has shown that the number of people in Wales speaking Welsh has declined over recent years.

Madonna Drops In On Welsh Wedding
A Welsh couple having a post-nuptial buffet in Rome had an unexpected guest drop by. When the star discovered a British wedding party was on the terrace she stopped, joined them for a chat and wished them good luck.

Pet Goat Taken On Drunken Joyride
A man drank 12 pints of cider at a party before stealing a pet goat and taking it for a ride in a stolen car. The man was given a two-year ban and told to carry out 120 hours unpaid work after admitting aggravated vehicle taking. Sadly, Snowy the goat died two days after her ordeal, her owner has revealed.

Welsh Happenings

Student Sped At 125mph To Lecture
A keen Welsh student was clocked doing 125mph on his motorbike because he was going to be late for a lecture.

Father Jailed After Giving Daughter Birthday Card
A man was sentenced to 12 months in jail after posting a birthday card for his daughter through her letterbox. A restraining order meant that he couldn't go within 50 yeards of his daughter.

Man Given Two Year Pub And Club Ban
A man has been banned from every pub and club in the county of Powys after launching an "unforgivable attack".

Cardiff Costs Less For Students
The Welsh capital is the most cost-effective place in the UK to go to university, research has found. Cardiff came out on top because of the lower cost of living and the readiness of students to work.

Welsh Happenings

Play Group Bans Girl For Not Speaking Welsh
A schoolgirl has been banned from a summer holiday play scheme becase she couldn't speak Welsh.

Woman Fired By SMS
A Welsh woman has been fired from a shop by SMS. It said: 'As a result we will not require your services any more,' adding: 'Thank you for your time with us.'

Cardiff Consider Themselves Fourth Luckiest In Britain
People in Cardiff consider themselves the fourth luckiest in the UK according to a poll by the National Lottery.

Birthday Boy Wakes To Find Tardis In Garden
An eight-year-old Doctor Who fan had the best birthday present ever when he woke up to find his very own tardis in the back garden.

Burglar Identified Because He's The Only Gay In The Village
A man from the Welsh village of Rhymney was identified because of his 'mincing walk'. Known locally as the only gay in the village, was easily identified and caught.

Welsh Happenings

Welsh Shop One Of The Best In The World
A small food shop in the coastal town of Barmouth in Gwynedd has been named as one of the world's top 100 shops alongside Selfridges and Bloomingdales.

Ferry Suspended After It Hits Whale
Thousands of passengers will have travel plans disrupted after a ferry struck a whale off the Welsh coast.

Man Tries To Pay Fine In Pennies
A man who keeps trying to pay a fine in pennies is being refused by the court. Apparently, paying anything more than 20p in pennies is not allowed under English law. The Coinage Act of 1971 states that an amount of pennies over the value of 20p is not classed as legal tender. As the installments of his fine are £40, he can't pay in pennies.

Welsh Happenings

Dr Who Tank Battle Keeps Hotel Guests Awake
The BBC has been accused of keeping hotel guests awake with a Dr Who tank battle which lasted until 4am.

Teenage 'Pirates of the Caribbean' Rescued From Sea
A teenager who got lost at sea while dressed as a pirate told of his embarrassment today. Joe Adams, 18, and two friends donned Pirates Of The Caribbean-style outfits and took to the high seas in an inflatable dinghy but ended up drifting out to sea.

Welsh Happenings

M4 Drivers Worst For Tailgating In The UK
According to a survey, the Welsh section of the M4 motorway, the part that I use regularly, is the most dangerous stretch in the UK for tailgating. Maybe that will explain all the accidents that keep occuring.

Blind Woman Captains Passenger Ferry
A blind woman has captained a passenger ferry for part of its journey across the Irish Sea. The woman has also flown a plane, driven a car and driven a train.

Sci-Fi Fans Compete In Dalek Race
Sci-Fi fans have competed in a competition to see who has the fastest home-made Dalek.

Beer Festival To Offer Cups Of Tea
Ale drinkers will be able to enjoy a good old cuppa at this year's Mumbles Beer Festival. For the first time in 10 years, tea will provide, for some, a welcome breather between studious sampling of the amber nectar.