Cymru South side Llantwit Major fell to a heavy defeat under the lights in their Fenix Trophy first leg tie against Fourth tier Belgian side K The sell out home crowd was behind their team throughout resulting in a clinical first half which saw them 5-1 up at half-time This was followed by a spirited second-half performance from Llantwit however the gap in quality was clear to see with the home side coming out 7-2 winners Berchem got off to the perfect start when Kelvin Owusu pounced on a loose back-pass from Jake Barrow and knocked it around the helpless Jack Lansdown to tap into an open goal to give the home side the lead within the first minute Things quickly went from bad to worse for Llantwit who found themselves 2-0 down after only 12 minutes with Owusu showing his quality by taking the ball and turning his defender inside out with some silky footwork as well as having the composure to slot the ball under the Llantwit keeper The Belgian side managed to continue to open up the away side counterattacking numerous times through the midfield Their spell of dominance would pay dividends eventually with young attacker Ambrose Frimpong evading his man and powering home a header from a corner to make it 3-0 after only 24 minutes A fourth would come soon enough for Berchem with Kelvin Owusu again showing some outstanding footwork to leave his man for dead cutting in from the left-hand side and producing yet another cool finish to seal his hat-trick on the night to add insult to injury for the Welsh side and they would pull a goal back in the 33rd minute from early substitute Josh Morgan who glanced home a header that was helped on by a deflection into the far corner following a cross with Berchem winger Brend Lambrechts finding himself in acres of space in the box after a low ball was squared to him The 20-year-old made no mistake with his finish into the roof of the net Llantwit Major started the second half much better than the first and before long the travelling Windmill Army had something else to cheer about with Madison Armstrong scoring his first ever senior goal blasting the ball home from point-blank range after a melee in the box following a corner to get the scoreline down to 5-2 five minutes into the half Some Llantwit fans may have had dreams of a comeback at this point but these were promptly put to bed 13 minutes later when Len Vennekens turned brilliantly in the box and hit a low shot in off the post leaving Lansdown with no choice but to watch the ball go into the net for the sixth time of the night and Berchem rounded off the scoring in the 84th minute with Nikola Pejcic slotting in a penalty coolly to add even more misery to the away side on the night the away fans were still in fine voice and could be heard throughout the game with even the home supporters joining in on the action and chanting ‘Llantwit’ at full time.  European away days are rare for clubs of Llantwit Major’s size and they will still be well up for the second leg at the SDM Glass Stadium in Bridgend (Featured Image: Llantwit Major AFC) Δdocument.getElementById( "ak_js_1" ).setAttribute( "value" This site uses Akismet to reduce spam. Learn how your comment data is processed. Local Campaigners challenging a Welsh council over the development of dozens of portable homes near residents’ back gardens say they are in disbelief that the project has been signed off Vale of Glamorgan Council announced last week that it is ready to start moving Ukrainian refugees and families on the housing waiting list into the temporary housing site where Eagleswell Priamry School used to be in Llantwit Major is made up of 90 portable homes and was initially approved using special planning powers called permitted development rights This allowed the scheme to go ahead without needing planning permission – something residents were furious about as they were not consulted on the design of the homes some of which are just metres away from back gardens Campaigners are now claiming  the council has not addressed the privacy concerns it said it would this year Eagleswell Action Group said: “The members of the Eagleswell Action Group have read in disbelief this morning that a planning officer at the Vale Council has accepted the proposal from the developers that putting a plastic film which can be easily removed over the windows on a number of the units satisfied a planning condition which states the windows should be obscurely glazed.” no reasonable person would believe that a piece of plastic meets that condition People have to ask the question whether such a judgement would be so forthcoming on a private development “The condition also states that no one should occupy the site until this condition has been met in full We feel that this is just another example of the Vale officers doing as they please concerning this development.” As well as having concerns over the design of the site some residents said they were able to see into the portable homes from their upstairs windows When Heol Croeso was given planning permission to remain in place for a minimum of five more years in July a number of conditions were attached including that some windows of a certain height would need to be “obscurely glazed” one resident claimed the material being used was simply a “decorative film” that could be easily removed A planning document shows the material being used to glaze the windows is called MACal Glass Decor 700 The document describes it as “polymeric translucent vinyls coated with a long-life durable… adhesive” Eagleswell Action Group added: “As a group we have never been against a development on the site “This has always been about the development in its current form The council has squeezed 90 containers and some 400 people into a small site with a total disregard for the current residents and community of Llantwit Major “The action group now has over 2,000 members from our local community “As we had no support from our elected Vale councillors we have no choice but to challenge this on our own at every stage of the development Our fight goes on to get what is right and fair for the people of Llantwit Major still awaiting review by a High Court judge It appears the wheels of justice run slowly.” Permitted development rights are usually used in an emergency Vale of Glamorgan Council’s leader Lis Burnett said the site will also be important in “easing the pressure on council housing stock” and “represents a far more dignified solution” than using hotels A council spokesperson said: “The windows in question will feature obscured glazing to level three on the Pilkington Scale the recognised standard when it comes to protecting privacy “The council retains control over the Heol Croeso development and compliance with this planning condition will be monitored and maintained Δdocument.getElementById( "ak_js_2" ).setAttribute( "value" Connect with Nation.Cymru on Facebook and Twitter If you would like to donate to help keep Nation.Cymru running then you just need to click on the box below it will open a pop up window that will allow you to pay using your credit / debit card or paypal Enter your email address to receive instant notifications of new articles All information provided to Nation.Cymru will be handled sensitively and within the boundaries of the Data Protection Act 2018 In 2017 Nation.Cymru was launched after raising £5000 from a crowdfunding campaign Today it is one of the fastest growing news sites in the UK attracting over 1.5 million visitors a month We are not backed by billionaire owners or hidden behind a paywall but we depend on our readers' support to continue our work If everyone who visited the site over the course of a month donated at least £1 we would have enough funding for the next eight years To guarantee our future please consider making a donation today. Llantwit Major held on with nine players to gain a draw against Goytre United in the Cymru South Red cards for Joel Woodington and Josh Morgan left the home side with nine for the last ten minutes but they were able to grind things out for a point Former Major player Kyran Gardner gave Goytre the lead after 13 minutes when his corner went in at the near post Sean Williams levelled the game on the hour mark with a towering header Joel Woodington was sent off for simulation and then in the 81st minute Llantwit were down to nine when Josh Morgan was shown a straight red for dissent Llantwit move to sixth in the table four points behind leaders Cambrian United Goytre started brightly and won an early free-kick out of the side of the Llantwit box The visitors whipped the ball into the box and Jack Lansdown had to pushed the ball away The visitors continued to pressure the hosts early on and won a corner Kyran Gardner took the corner and the former Llantwit player whipped the ball into the near post to put Goytre ahead Llantwit tried to get back into the game and sent a long ball forward to Joel Woodington Woodington made his way towards goal and fired a shot from a tight angle that Lucas Cavalcante saved Goytre almost got a second when they sent a long ball into the path of Keane Watts Watts under pressure pulled his shot just wide of the target Matty Kimmins then went close for Llantwit Woodington sent Kimmins in on goal but Kimmins put his low shot wide of the post Tom Tweedy tried a shot from the edge of the box but he fired his effort over Woodington then linked up with Kimmins again sending him in on goal Kimmins struck a shot at goal but Cavalcante made a decent save to deny him and concede a corner Rob Jones sent the corner into a packed penalty box and Sean Williams rose above the crowd to send a bullet header into the net Llantwit started pushing for the winning goal and Woodington went over in the box Woodington and the Llantwit players wanted a penalty but the ref didn’t give it He then showed a second yellow to Woodington Llantwit were given another red shortly after when Josh Morgan went over and was shown a straight red for something said to the ref in the aftermath Despite two extra players Goytre failed to really threaten the Llantwit goal Llantwit defended well and did their best to deny Goytre any space to see out the final minutes (Featured Image: Lewis Mitchell/FAW) By Ian Lewis · 25 October 2024 Above: St Illtud's Church in Llantwit Major A fundraising effort is under way to safeguard the future of one of South Wales' most significant historical places of worship The Grade I listed St Illtud's Church in Llantwit Major needs urgent repairs to its tower and porch with the church's council needing to raise around £500,000 to cover costs The site is a place of great historical and spiritual significance representing a continuous link of Christian worship stretching back over 1,500 years It is often referred to as the Westminster Abbey of Wales and was founded in around 500 AD by St Illtud It is one of the oldest Christian locations in Britain and is where many well-known Celtic saints were educated including reputedly St David and St Patrick The site is therefore known as the Cradle of Celtic Christianity where the faith was kept alive after the Romans left Britain Dr David Ellis said: "The church building requires urgent maintenance work and modernisation particularly to prevent the water ingress in the tower also there is need to restore the porch and to preserve the valuable wall paintings in the church in association with the diocese and its architects has drawn up a masterplan for a whole range of projects to develop the church and the site and is currently applying for grants from bodies such as the Heritage Lottery Fund to contribute to this work which is estimated to be in the region of £500,000 some of the work will have to be self-funded through fundraising activities who is also a Llantwit Major town councillor added: "The church council is appealing not only to parishioners but also to members of the local community and further afield to help preserve this most significantly important building." Dr Ellis said the site was full of historical significance "The architecture reflects a rare complete history of Welsh Christianity a West Church and the restored Galilee Chapel where a highly significant collection of Celtic crosses The church's porch was part of the expansion of the church in the 13th century and also restored during work done around 1900 It has a large arched entrance on the south side while on the east side has a smaller opening and the remains of a gate while at the side of the door are the remains of a holy water stoup On the south wall is a series of putlog holes In the woodwork there are small carvings of living creatures Unlike many churches across Wales St Illtud's has a growing congregation who added: "Besides regular Sunday and weekday services it also serves as a very vibrant community hub for various types of meetings The church will officially launch its publicity and fundraising drive for the repair projects on St Illtud’s Day Anyone wishing to support the fundraising can visit the church's GoFundMe page here LoadingDaily Email Updates {{contentTitle}} to the region's most exciting archaeological digs Alice’s archaeological journey begins West of Oxford where she joins a team of commercial archaeologists investigating the site of a proposed housing development where they are uncovering a previously unknown Roman Villa complex Next we head to the Island of Anglesey to RAF Valley Back in the 1940s this WWII airbase was the site of the most significant iron age discovery ever made in Wales essential work on the runway is needed and MOD Metal detectorists have been called in to make sure that there are no remnants of this incredible haul buried in the peat surface of the airfield they discover a fully-articulated horse bridle and small part of a chariot MOD archaeologist Richard Osgood brings these beautifully preserved Iron age finds to the tent for a closer look.We stay in Wales for our next dig where she joins archaeologists searching for a long lost monastery which would have once been at the centre of Christianity in Britain The archaeologists are following a tip off from a badger set where some medieval human remains were discovered and are now uncovering further burials and evidence of metal working This incredible dig gives us an insight into monastic life at a time when Christianity was just taking root in Britain a picturesque seaside town on the North coast of Devon where archaeologists digging ahead of a new housing development have discovered the sturdy remains of a 17th century farmhouse and Historian Yasmin Kahn investigates and uncovers the role that Devonshire merchants played in the transatlantic slave trade.A massive road infrastructure project on the edge of the Cotswolds is the location of our next dig archaeologists have stripped back a massive sixty hectares and part of this dig follows the route of a Roman road archaeologists discovered the foundations of a mysterious Roman building that would have been situated on the road-side of Ermine Way we head to Alice’s home town of Bristol where investigations on the plot of a proposed shopping centre in the densely populated area of Bedminster have uncovered the site of an 18th Century Water mill that would have once been at the heart of a rural agricultural community This dig offers a fascinating window into the rapid urbanisation of the area Hides preview environment warning banner on preview pages Select a theme and theme mode and click "Load theme" to load in your theme combination This website is using a security service to protect itself from online attacks The action you just performed triggered the security solution There are several actions that could trigger this block including submitting a certain word or phrase You can email the site owner to let them know you were blocked Please include what you were doing when this page came up and the Cloudflare Ray ID found at the bottom of this page Carmarthenshire News Online Local and National News for Carmarthenshire Subscribe to get the latest posts sent to your email COUNCIL housing rents in Vale of Glamorgan are set to rise to the maximum amount allowed by the Welsh Government.… People living in a Welsh town say they are put off from using public transport because they can’t access their… A Ukrainian mother who lives in a small hostel room with her son in the Vale of Glamorgan has opened… RENFREE Nathan James replaces JENNINGS Finn Lee HOWELLS Gabriel Lee replaces MCDOWELL Alex WALBEOFF Thomas Andrew replaces LLEWELYN Rhys James Evan There is no live report available for this match Close ModalLearn more from FA WalesSign up to receive all things FAW We respect your privacy and are committed to protecting your personal data – view our privacy policy by clicking here © 2025 The Football Association of Wales * We respect your privacy and are committed to protecting your personal data – view our privacy policy by clicking here Controversial plans for a new Lidl supermarket may need Welsh Government approval before being given the go-ahead Vale of Glamorgan Council’s planning committee met on Thursday February 13 to approve a number of conditions that will be attached to plans for the supermarket earmarked for land in between Llanmaes and Llantwit Major against the recommendations of council planning officials they are currently subject to a holding direction by the Welsh Government That means the Welsh Government is considering if it should have the final say on whether or not the scheme goes ahead Residents in Llanmaes again vocalised their opposition to the plans saying they felt “ignored” by the planning committee and Lidl and continued to say that the development is in “totally the wrong place” Vale of Glamorgan Council ward member for Llantwit Major again raised concerns about traffic in the area and the potential for large vehicles to travel through the village to get to the supermarket On the proposed opening times of 8am to 10pm he said: “There is no reason to keep a store of this nature open until 10pm with lights blaring across the village of Llanmaes” Another resident and local community councillor repeated his concerns made in December about the proposal being in “totally the wrong place” and echoed Cllr John’s concerns about traffic he noted that a condition had been included requiring the 122-capacity car park to close after hours Mr Smith said: “[I am] glad the car park is going to be locked at night The Northern Access Road [has] unfortunately become a magnet for boy racers.” He also claimed that about a third of shoppers will be travelling to the supermarket from St Athan The application site is located in the Llanmaes settlement boundary The area itself was designated as a conservation area in 1978 and has won the Vale of Glamorgan Council Best-Kept Village competition numerous times Conservative councillor and member of the planning committee said she was opposed to the development of a new supermarket in the proposed location A number of residents living in Llantwit Major have come out in support of having a new supermarket near where they live Llantwit Major was described as “woefully under-serviced” by one resident who said the town needs more options for peoples’ food shops Plaid councillor and Vale of Glamorgan Council planning committee member said the south west of the county is an area that “at the moment doesn’t have this sort of service” The conditions that have been put in place as part of the project also include controls on lighting with the applicants agreeing to switch off lighting on site outside of the supermarket opening hours One of the conditions relating to opening hours was also amended with planning committee members agreeing to put forward a closing time of 9pm instead of 10pm was speaking on behalf of Lidl UK at Thursday’s meeting He said Lidl is “proud to be a good neighbour to the communities it serves” and that it has a “wealth of experience in developing its stores to ensure residential amenity is safeguarded” He also said the supermarket is committed to avoiding routing construction and delivery vehicles through Llanmaes Vale of Glamorgan Council is yet to find out exactly when the Welsh Government will make a decision on the holding direction that the supermarket plans are subject to These are not exactly benefiting Wales anymore it’s just an American sweet shop wealth extraction In Llantwit major there is a one family monopoly or somewhere in between—needs its own Lidl or Aldi And here’s the kicker: they pay good salaries to their staff That means every bargain you snag is backed by happy well-compensated employees who know their olives from their extra virgins These supermarkets aren’t just saving you a few quid; they’re local job champions reinvesting in the community while keeping prices low they even churn out their own brand beers brewed to strict German purity laws you read that right—cheap beer with the pedigree of Oktoberfest picture Lampeter: the Plaid Cymru council is… Read more » Don’t know if there’s any truth in the rumour that Reform councillor is in possession of a new pair of scissors and a length of ribbon in anticipation of turning up uninvited to do the opening honours a bierkellar in Munich and those strict German purity laws Isn’t Llanilltud Fawr the correct name Calling a saint ‘Twit’ is an Anglo insult A right-wing social media account has falsely claimed that a local authority spent £25m building 90 temporary housing units for “migrants” the units at Llantwit Major were built for people on the Vale of Glamorgan council’s housing waiting list with some also being occupied by refugees from the war in Ukraine DOGE Wales – named in honour of Elon Musk’s so-called Department of Government Efficiency whose arbitrary dismissal of US federal government employees is causing financial chaos for the Trump administration – posted a message to X headlined: “Exposed: Council wasted £25m on ‘temporary’ housing for migrants.” The message beneath read: “The Vale of Glamorgan Council hiked council tax by 5.9% recently So it’s only right that we look at their spending decisions Here’s one we don’t think residents will approve of “This ‘temporary’ housing scheme is located in Llantwit Major because the council has no credible exit strategy We asked Vale of Glamorgan council whether DOGE Wales’ description of the units as being for “migrants” was accurate A spokesperson for the council responded: “The units are for Ukrainian refugees and people on the council’s housing waiting list.” The spokesperson also provided us with a press release issued by the authority in October 2024 which confirmed that the units were about to welcome their first tenants The press release stated: “Built on the site of the former Eagleswell Primary School the project has been signed off by the Vale of Glamorgan council’s Planning and Building Control Teams so is ready for use short-term housing for those in significant need such as refugees from the war in Ukraine and local families on the Council’s housing waiting list They are a mix of single and two-storey one three and four-bed homes for use on a short-term basis until more permanent housing is secured The high-quality homes have been finished to exacting standards “They can be moved to different locations in the future as required was quoted saying: “This development will provide temporary accommodation for those in desperate need such as people fleeing the war in Ukraine and those currently living in other less suitable settings “It reflects a council priority to help the most vulnerable as we bid to become a county of sanctuary signifying a commitment to support those who have suffered forced displacement “There is an urgent need for new homes as Wales is experiencing a housing crisis created by a shortage of accommodation growing waiting lists and increased levels of homelessness ““The use of this site will be important in easing the pressure on council housing stock and represents a far more dignified solution than the use of substantially more expensive and cramped temporary hotel accommodation.” The press release continued: “The council has seen unprecedented levels of extreme housing need and a significant rise in the number of homeless applications in the last two years These units will be one of the ways in which we support homeless families “There are more than 200 families currently in temporary accommodation with on average four new cases moving into temporary accommodation each week This has led to the council needing to place families in hotels and bed and breakfast accommodation for the first time in over a decade “The Eagleswell site is allocated for housing development in the Vale’s current Local Development Plan there has also been discussion with Cardiff and Vale University Health Board about the use of some or all of the site for a new health facility for Llantwit Major and any permanent development of the site will be subject to public consultation.” Reacting to the false posts from DOGE Wales which is believed by many Senedd insiders to be produced by aides of former Welsh Conservative Senedd leader Andrew RT Davies Plaid Cymru Vale of Glamorgan councillor Mark Hooper said: “Our politics in Wales is being deliberately manipulated by those who hide behind anonymous social media accounts they’ve been caught out – they’re simply making stuff up it’s being done to sow hatred and division “If this account is anything to do with the Welsh Conservatives This misinformation game has no place here in Wales.” Presumably “doge” is pronounced “dodgy” this welsh lot staffed with idiots as well As are his disciples this side of the pond This is similar to the houses in Cardiff which were visited by so called ‘journalists’ (actually racist s**t stirrers) looking for migrants but intimidating homeless people and one of whom is now a non integrating A Ukrainian mother who fled the war in her country is finally able to make a home for herself after waiting years Kateryna Gorodnycha was living for three months in a hostel in Barry with her son while they awaited news on when a new temporary accommodation site in Llantwit Major would open After a number of delays Vale of Glamorgan Council recently announced that the development was signed off and that it could start moving people in a temporary site made up of portable cabins is made up of 90 units for Ukrainian families and families from the Vale on the council housing waiting list it has provided space to start thinking about the future again for the first time in years describing the comparison between her new place and the hostel she said: “It is like everything and nothing “It feels like a home just because actually it is our first own home here but own home where I can create my personal space [where I can] put some things that I bought or found… with my taste.” drove 1,800 miles across Europe with their two cats and other possessions to reach the UK in 2022 after Russia invaded Ukraine Back then Kateryna said she was living in an apartment that overlooked the Dnipro River in Kyiv and was working as a TV producer and journalist She’d established a company that set up events for the film industry in the city and had a grant to film a documentary “But everything was falling apart during one night and since then I just don’t make plans at all.” Kateryna said she was grateful for the hospitality her sponsors showed her and her son when they arrived in Wales When we spoke with Kateryna in October she said: “They waited and waited and they didn’t ask us to leave them but the circumstances [became] worse and we had to move this summer in July.” Back then Kateryna was still waiting to move into the Llantwit Major housing site She said she opted to stay near Cowbridge because it is her son’s last year in secondary school and finding rented accommodation was difficult while also having pets Kateryna said: “They are a part of our family so it is too hard to rent accommodation being a refugee and having pets Plans for Heol Croeso were initially pushed through using special planning powers called permitted development rights However planning permission was eventually acquired in July 2024 to keep the site in place for a minimum of five more years Part of the idea behind the site is to decrease the council’s reliance on accommodation like hotel rooms and hostels said Heol Croeso provides a more “dignified solution” to the demand for housing Describing what it was like living in a hostel Kateryna said: “The room was much smaller than this – probably half of this room – but we were lucky to have our personal bathroom because some other rooms didn’t have personal bathrooms “The main thing for me which I was surprised about was they have their own rules for children But the rules of the hostel were… I can’t leave the hostel even for 10 minutes “I can’t leave him alone in a room because they don’t want to be responsible for him but he is 15.” Talking about the moment she first entered her property at Heol Croeso Kateryna said: “I came here and it felt like a home just because it was so bright and light I came here to this place probably twice a month just to check how it is going and I saw all stages of creating this place and sometimes I was imagining what it was going to look like and from outside… you can’t really understand the size of everything “It looks like that… but they are full-scale windows when you are here “It is quite big and I think neighbours watching us from outside they think that it looks like train coaches but they probably can’t imagine that it is quite big inside.” Kateryna said her visa will last for another two years before she has to decide what to do next She added: “Two years for me is quite a long period… it is life it is a period [for us] to create a nest.” is dealing with a housing crisis and has more than 6,000 people on its council housing waiting list The local authority’s housing solutions and supporting people team leader said the pressure the council is facing at the moment is “huge” Ms Hollinshead said: “No matter what we do the numbers just increase “Although we are constantly looking at new and innovative solutions on how we are actually going to address the homelessness crisis we are still getting the numbers coming through the door “We have got a rapid rehousing plan in place as has every local authority in Wales… and we are working through the solutions in there but people just keep coming through the door “The numbers are just increasing at a faster rate than we can actually house.” A number of schemes were put in place to support Ukrainian refugees following the Russian invasion in February 2022 One of these was the Homes for Ukraine Sponsorship scheme which saw many Ukrainian refugees temporarily moving in with a UK household Vale of Glamorgan Council also worked with Ukrainians to help them find other housing solutions like private rented accommodation However Ms Hollinshead said there were some families who had to move into a hostel or hotel because the local authority had run out of options On Heol Coreso she added that many of the families were “delighted” with their homes having come from “much less palatable settings” In two weeks about 40 Ukrainian households will have been moved onto the site at Heol Croeso The rest of the units will be occupied by homeless families from the Vale of Glamorgan Some of the units have gardens and there is some communal green space for those that don’t Ms Hollinshead said: “Everybody that’s moved in that I have spoken to… they have been absolutely over the moon “They have come from somewhere where they couldn’t cook…[where there were] not always the best people to mix with “They come to here where they have got completely self-contained [units] and they can live a basically normal life whilst they are waiting for their permanent housing solution.” A number of residents raised concerns about the planning process for Heol Croeso with many living next to the site complaining they were not consulted with on the plans Some residents’ homes are just metres away from the portable homes on site and campaigners opposed to the way that the council carried out its project have raised enough funds to pursue legal action against the local authority The council has assured people living nearby that the units at Heol Croeso are easily demountable and that there have been discussions with Cardiff and Vale University Health Board about the use of some or all of the site for a new health facility for Llantwit Major in the future It also said that any permanent development of the site will be subject to public consultation Ms Hollinshead said: “The properties are completely demountable They can be put back on a lorry and literally moved to another site “They can be moved several times and then what we would do is after the five years… we would look for perhaps smaller sites to be able to move several of the units but I doubt we will find a site which we could put all 90 units on at once.” and I wish you only good things in your new life ahead Llanelli Town are being tipped to win the Cymru South title after coming up short over the past two seasons The Reds have been involved in title races with Barry Town United and Briton Ferry but have had to watch on as others lifted the trophy Barry had a 16-point gap over them and then last year Ferry finished seven points better off Pontypridd United have come down from the Cymru Premier there’s not the same feeling around the place that they can replicate what Barry did which is cruise to the title Gavin Allen has made some decent signings though with Ashley Evans and Dan Griffiths still capable of playing in the Cymru Premier whilst Liam Eason has arrived from Cambrian United Dean Wheeler was named the Manager of the Year for the Cymru South at the end-of-season awards The Young Guns finished fifth last term in what was their first season back in the second tier in four years but they have been placed to drop at least two places.  The best odds are 11/1 for Trefelin with Llanelli manager Lee John suggesting they could be dark horses Trefelin finished 11th last season but Andy Hill has done some good business Charlie Corsby has joined from Cardiff Met whilst Shaun MacDonald has arrived from Penybont. Hill has won the division before as a manager with Llanelli they will secure their highest ever league finish Taffs Well have the joint furthest odds on for the title which signals that the bookmakers think they will go down this season The Wellmen stayed up on goal difference at the end of last season and have flirted with relegation before will they be able to preserve their second-tier status of 20 years Baglan Dragons have the same odds as Taffs Well Baglan finished 10th in their first season in the Cymru South and got some big results last term and so whilst the bookmakers think they will be down there Newport City and Trethomas Bluebirds have all come up from the Ardal Leagues Ardal South West champions Penrhiwceiber aren’t being tipped to stay in the division too long sharing joint odds with 2021/22 champions Llantwit Major Josh Graham and others have earned them the prediction of a top-half finish Trethomas Bluebirds are expected to finish around mid-table (Featured Image: Lewis Mitchell/FAW) The B4265 was closed for several hours (Image: Google)A man has died after a crash in Llantwit Major on Tuesday, June 25. South Wales Police say they were called to the B4265 near the Heol Pentre’r Cwrt roundabout at approximately 7.30pm The force has not confirmed whether there were any other vehicles involved They say the man's family has been informed and the circumstances of the collision are being investigated Police thanked the local community for its patience and understanding while the road was closed They said the road remained closed to allow essential examination of the collision scene just before midnight on Tuesday - it also appeared to remain closed on Wednesday morning Google live traffic monitors show the road closed between Cowbridge Road and Llanmaes Road. Motorists are advised to avoid the area and use alternative routes where possible WalesOnline has launched a new breaking news and top stories WhatsApp community From the biggest court stories to the latest traffic updates it's a simple way to stay up to date with what's happening in Wales Want to join? All you have to do is click on this link select 'Join Community' and you're in We will not spam your feed with constant messages but you will receive updates from us daily If for some reason you decide you no longer want to be in our community, you can leave by clicking on the name at the top of your screen and clicking 'Exit Group'. We occasionally treat our community members to special offers, promotions, and adverts from us and our partners. You can read our Privacy Notice here. Join our WhatsApp community here The award-winning Abergavenny based broker, FR Ball Insurance Ltd, has confirmed its fifth acquisition in just two years of sustained growth and development, with the addition of Howell Insurance Services Ltd of Llantwit Major, Bridgend.  Howell Insurance, who are specialists in commercial and personal insurance, are adding their expertise to the considerable range of experience already available to the firm. FR Ball Insurance, who are independent, commercial and personal insurance brokers, has enjoyed a particularly successful beginning to the year having been the winners of the Compliance Broker of the Year award at the Bravo Networks Conference in late February and with the acquisition of Howell Insurance Services, just a month later. This latest acquisition follows four others in the last two years; Lawson D Jones Insurance Consultants of Ebbw Vale, Wessex Business Services Ltd , Overton, Hants, Export & General Ltd, Wimbledon and the private motor and householders insurance portfolio of a friend and fellow broker. Comments Tel: 01873 852187[email protected]Follow us Further Links Owned or licensed to Tindle Newspapers Ltd | Independent Family-Owned Newspapers | Copyright & Trade Mark Notice & 2013 - 2025 Llanelli Town lost ground in the race for the JD Cymru South title as they were held to a 1-1 draw away at strugglers Abertillery Bluebirds New Bluebirds goalkeeper Brandon Powell saved Sean Cronin’s penalty midway through the first half but he could only parry it straight back into the path of the Llanelli defender who made no mistake at the second time of asking to put the Reds ahead.  Lee John’s side remained on top for the majority of the second half but the hosts levelled in the 79th minute when Kyle Williams tucked away Chris Mbongompasi’s assist.  It meant that Briton Ferry Llansawel went seven points clear at the top of the table as a result of their 4-1 victory over Pontardawe Town on Friday night.  Alex Gammond opened the scoring for the Reds in first half stoppage time before Tom Walters doubled the lead just after the hour mark.  Tyler Aylward pulled a goal back for Pontardawe from the penalty spot but a late strike from substitute Jasper Payne and a stoppage time Tyler Brock penalty secured all three points for Ferry.  Jack Lansdown was the hero for Llantwit Major as they claimed back-to-back league victories for the first time this season by defeating Ammanford 1-0 at The Rec.  Tom Tweedy’s strike from the edge of the box gave the Major the lead in the 62nd minute but Ammanford were presented with the opportunity to equalise when they earned a penalty in stoppage time.  who returned to Llantwit from Ammanford at the beginning of this month haunted his former side as he saved Lewis Reed’s spot-kick to secure victory for Ben Stait’s team – a result that could prove crucial in their battle against relegation.  Baglan Dragons ended their four-match losing streak with an impressive 2-0 victory away at fourth-place neighbours Afan Lido.  Two smart finishes in the space of 12 minutes from Tom Davies and Jordan Evans put the Dragons in control in the first half and they held on after the break to condemn Lido to a third defeat in five matches.   The highest-scoring game of the weekend came at Cwrt yr Ala Road as Caerau Ely clinched their first victory of 2024 with a 4-2 win over Cwmbran Celtic.  Jack Turner’s early header for the hosts was cancelled out by Isaac Powell’s remarkable goal directly from a corner midway through the first half as both sides went into the break all square.  The Young Guns then came firing out of the blocks at the beginning of the second half as a Brandon Griffiths netted twice in the space of five minutes to give his side a cushion.  Celtic’s lethal frontman Alex Bonthron was on target once again to half the deficit but substitute Dan Bowen put any Caerau nerves to bed with his 81st minute strike.  Noah Daley scored the only goal of the game as third-place Carmarthen Town earned a narrow 1-0 win at home against Cambrian & Clydach Vale.  A tight affair was expected prior to kick off and it was Daley’s 11th goal of the season shortly after the half hour mark that made the difference as the Old Gold extended their unbeaten run in the JD Cymru South to seven matches.  Trefelin picked up three points on the road for the first time since October as goals from Connor Goldsworthy and Dylan Edwards completed a 2-1 comeback victory at Taffs Well whose nine match unbeaten streak came to an end Ben Parry was on target for the Wellmen on 31 minutes but January signing Goldsworthy drew Trefelin level before 17 year-old substitute Edwards popped up with an 87th-minute winner for the away side who climb up ninth place following a third win in four matches Abergavenny Town earned a hard-fought point as they played out a battling 1-1 draw at home against top half side Goytre United.  but they fell behind in the 18th minute when Pennies captain Joe Cashman netted for the first time since August It was Rhys Thomas who provided the equaliser for the visitors as he steered the ball home midway through the second half.  Abergavenny Town 1-1 Goytre UnitedAfan Lido 0-2 Baglan DragonsBriton Ferry Llansawel 4-1 Pontardawe TownCaerau Ely 4-2 Cwmbran CelticCambrian & Clydach Vale 0-1 Carmarthen TownAbertillery Bluebirds 1-1 Llanelli TownTaffs Well 1-2 TrefelinAmmanford 0-1 Llantwit Major JD Cymru Premier European Play-Off semi-final confirmed JD Cymru Leagues April Player and Manager of the Month shortlist JD Cymru Premier round-up | Caernarfon Town and Cardiff Met secure play-off semi-final spots Airbus win Welsh Blood Service League Cup with thrilling win over Trefelin The New Saints crowned JD Cymru Premier champions JD Cymru Premier format confirmed for 2026/27 Llantwit Major defeated reigning champions BK Skjold 1-0 at Lôn Melin Wynt in the Fenix Trophy Matt Kimmins scored the only goal of the game as the Major recovered from Jamie Millar’s red card The victory gives them the best possible start to their three-team group stage where they will play Enfield Town next in mid-March Ben Stait’s side have now won six of their last seven matches and return to Cymru South action on the back of their first European win (Featured Image: MCCAPTURESSS PHOTOGRAPHY) CloseEli was walking on the beach with his dad when his eyes fixed on a round marking in rock cliffs above them The nine-year-old had discovered the fossilised remains of an ammonite a type of mollusc from the Jurassic period A Sunday trip to a limestone formation in cliffs at Llantwit Major beach in Vale of Glamorgan yielded their luckiest find so far "They're just interesting," Eli said of fossils "I like their shape and the texture." Shareclose panelShare pageCopy linkAbout sharingRead descriptionExplore moreWatch: Fossil-hunting boy finds Jurassic mollusc 00:00:58Watch: Fossil-hunting boy finds Jurassic mollusc 0:58Up Next look at this': Girl's dinosaur footprint discovery 2:48Welsh dinosaur named dragon robber 00:02:33Welsh dinosaur named dragon robber 2:33'We need a name for the Welsh dinosaur coast' Video 00:03:43'We need a name for the Welsh dinosaur coast' 3:43The 'surfing duck' causing delight in Australia 00:02:07The 'surfing duck' causing delight in Australia 2:07Editor's recommendationsMerz defeat 'an obstacle not a catastrophe' Video 00:01:05Merz defeat 'an obstacle not a catastrophe' 1:05Watch: BBC reports from pier 33 - the gateway to Alcatraz 00:01:44Watch: BBC reports from pier 33 - the gateway to Alcatraz 1:44Watch: Prince Louis steals the show as royals mark VE Day 00:01:25Watch: Prince Louis steals the show as royals mark VE Day 1:25Watch: How Lady Gaga's record-breaking concert almost ended in disaster Video 00:01:21Watch: How Lady Gaga's record-breaking concert almost ended in disaster 1:21'Trump was the game-changer': Three things to know about the Australian election result 00:01:20'Trump was the game-changer': Three things to know about the Australian election result 1:20Prince Harry 'can't see a world' where his family will visit the UK 00:02:54Prince Harry 'can't see a world' where his family will visit the UK 2:54Watch: Key moments from the local elections.. 00:01:32Watch: Key moments from the local elections.. 1:32Watch: Reform by-election win raises questions for Labour and Tories 00:01:11Watch: Reform by-election win raises questions for Labour and Tories 1:11Russell Brand's court appearance explained.. 00:00:50Russell Brand's court appearance explained.. 0:50Ros Atkins on.. What's in the US-Ukraine resources deal 1:23Kamala Harris hits out at Trump in first major speech since losing election 00:01:18Kamala Harris hits out at Trump in first major speech since losing election The new JD Cymru South season kicks off on Friday 26th of July with 16 teams battling it out for the title and a place in Wales’ top flight In what is set to be another competitive season only one side over the course of 480 league games will lift the trophy and book their place amongst the best clubs in the country It was Briton Ferry Llansawel who claimed top spot last season and it is hard to predict what side will claim the crown in nine months time Here is a look at each club that is set to compete in this years competition Llanelli Town will be looking to go one better this season and gain a spot in the Cymru Premier for the first time since relegation in 2013 The Reds will open their season with a trip to Rhiw’r Ddar Stadium to face Taffs Well They boast a squad of talented players with some of the best attacking talent in the league including Ethan Cann who contributed 17 goal involvements last season second only behind champions Briton Ferry and will look for their attacking capabilities to take them to the title this campaign Pontypridd United will be looking to ensure they gain promotion back to the top flight at the first time of asking following their relegation last season The club struggled with off-field issues leading to points deductions and finished bottom of the Cymru Premier Gavin Allen will be hoping to guide The Dragons back to the Cymru Premier and will be amongst the early favourites heading into this years competition. They have added former Cymru Premier quality in to their squad with the additions of Jamie Veale formally of Barry United and Ashley Evans and Dan Griffiths previously of Penybont Ammanford will be looking for another strong season after a third-placed finish last time out They will be hoping young forward Lewis Reed can continue his goal-scoring exploits after hitting 25 last season They face a first day trip to newly promoted Newport City on the opening day Gruff Harrison will be hoping to guide his side to the top end of the table again this season The Old Gold Carmarthen Town will be hoping to improve on their sixth placed finish last season and look to be in contention for the title Greg Walters departed after six seasons to join Haverfordwest County but the club have announced the signing of Josh Bull from Briton Ferry Bull will be looking to make it a third consecutive promotion from the Cymru South following title winning seasons with Barry Town and Briton Ferry Carmarthen attacker Noah Daley is another of the vast amount of youthful talent littered across the division The 22-year old finished as the clubs top goalscorer last season with 14 goals and will look for another strong performance this season The most impressive promoted side last term were Caerau Ely whose manager Dean Wheeler earned the JD Cymru South manager of the season award after guiding the club to a fifth placed finish The Young Guns will be looking to cause some more upsets and could be outsiders for a title race The club has a host of talent in their ranks including forward Brandon Griffiths The 26-year-old will be hoping to improve on the 17-goal season he achieved last time out Newly named Cambrian United managed a fourth placed finish last season and will be aiming for similar results this time around United have lost last season’s club player of the season Cameron Keetch as he linked up with former Barry Town manager Lee Kendall at Westfields of The Hellenic Premier The club boasted the best defensive record last season conceding only 37 goals in 30 fixtures and will be looking to remain defensively solid this campaign Afan Lido secured a seventh-placed finish last season with the help of one of the best youngsters in the league Ieuan Owen The 18-year-old attacker provided 15 goals and four assists during the season and could play a major part again this campaign Lido open their season with a difficult away fixture to Pontypridd United at The USW Sports Park Another of the newly promoted sides from last season Baglan Dragons had a solid first season in the second division with a 10th-placed finish Jay Thomas and Jordan Evans who scored 25 goals between them and they even have a goalscoring goalkeeper in their ranks Manager Laurie Marsh guided Goytre United to an 8th placed finish last season with the clinical attack of Jordan Edwards and Keane Watts netting 33 goals between them They face an opening day trip to Richmond Park Goytre ended with a minus one goal difference at the end of the campaign so will need to be more defensively solid this time around to give themselves a higher league position It was a 9th placed finish last season for Cwmbran Celtic helped hugely by the leagues top goalscorer Alex Bonthron The 30-year old hit 30 goals in 28 league appearances last time out and could help The Yellows climb the ranks this season They open the season with a home tie against Cambrian United Trefelin secured a 11th placed finish last time out with standout youngster Roan Piper hitting 18 goals and winning the JD Cymru South young player of the season Trefelin will be looking for a higher placed finish in the competitive division and will open the campaign at home to Caerau Ely They’ve added experienced quality to compliment their talented youngster with Lee Trundle Shaun MacDonald and Charlie Corsby all making the move to Ynys Park to aid the clubs attempts at climbing the league table Last campaign saw Llantwit Major in a relegation battle finishing 12th after major departures from their title winning squad the season previous Manager Ben Stait took charge with the team in the bottom three and guided the club to safety with a final day win against Carmarthen Town the club became the first Welsh side to play in the group stages of a UEFA competition with their participation in the Fenix Trophy They open this season hosting newly promoted Trethomas Bluebirds Last season was a difficult one for Taffs Well as they finished 13th one spot outside of the relegation zone on goal difference A crucial 4-1 home win against Afan Lido on the penultimate game of the season secured their spot in the Cymru South and it could be another fight for survival this time around The clubs top goalscorer was defender Vaughn Fowler The Wellmen will need a better return from their forwards to fight off the drop this season The first of the three new clubs in the division are Ardal South West champions Penrhiwceiber Rangers They gained promotion to the Cymru South after a thrilling title race with Cefn Cribwr with forward Warren Jones hitting 16 goals on their way to the title and promotion to the second division Manager Dean Brown will be hoping to guide the side to safety in what is expected to be a difficult season for The Tigers They open their season with a home tie against Baglan Dragons at Glasbrook Field They will be joined by Ardal South East champions Trethomas Bluebirds The club have been successful in recent seasons winning the Ardal South Cup in 2022 and the FAW Amateur Trophy in 2023 before their title winning season and will look to maintain their place in the second tier The Bluebirds hit 100 league goals in their title winning campaign with Levi Rees and Gareth Tedstone hitting 53 between them They begin their campaign with an away tie against Llantwit Major Newport City booked their place in this seasons competition with a 2-1 Ardal South play-off victory against Cefn Cribwr They’ve added players who are vastly experienced at this level with the additions former Barry United players Luke Cooper and Jordan Cotterill They’ve also signed forward Nathaniel Jarvis from Taunton Town Jarvis is a talented forward who’s had previous spells with Cardiff City The 32-year-old also has international football on his CV representing Antigua and Barbuda on 13 occasions scoring three goals The club also recently announced a partnership with neighbours Newport County A statement on the partnership read: “Newport County AFC and Newport City FC are pleased to announce a new partnership that will see the City’s two football clubs forge stronger ties and offer more football opportunities for local supporters.” All three of the newly promoted sides have the possibility to cause upsets this season making it difficult to theorise how the league table will lie at the end of the season (Featured Image: Lewis Mitchell/FAW) JD Cymru South side Llantwit Major took a break from league action last weekend to make their debut in European competition in the Fenix Trophy The Fenix Trophy is the brainchild of Italian side Brera FC and celebrates semi-professional and amateur football clubs all chosen to compete based on their social The idea is to highlight best practice in non-professional football – sporting conduct Llantwit Major committee member Ben Dudley found out about the competition last season and made it a mission to get the club involved – telling the organisers all about their creation and rise to the second tier “I think the thing that most won him over was the community work we do,” says Ben “We organised a counter-protest last year when a Neo-Nazi group came to Llantwit and we try to support as many good causes as we can.” Llantwit Major are the first Welsh club to compete in the competition since its creation in 2021 which is something that gives Ben and the rest of the club a great deal of pride “We feel like the Cymru Leagues system is very underrated and we find that when people come to watch for the first time they are very surprised by how good the standard is We got put in one of the hardest groups possible and we would have felt like we let the country down if we got battered in every game We’re still being realistic about our chances but would we be adding a star above the badge if we won the whole thing? Absolutely!” Their campaign started well with a brilliant 1-0 win against defending champions Skjold meaning that the gate receipts will help pay for the travel to the reverse fixture in Copenhagen which will mean a flight from Bristol with a stop in Edinburgh “It’s obviously a lot more difficult than organising a trip to Port Talbot or Abergavenny but the players have really bought into the competition so they’ve all been working hard to get the time off work and to ensure their families are happy with them being away for a couple of days,” says Ben “We’re only missing one regular first-team player for the trip to Denmark and someone who I won’t name did ask if he would need to rearrange his wedding if we got to the final – thankfully not!” He adds: “The feedback from everyone and supporters has been overwhelmingly positive about taking part so we’ve got our fingers crossed that we’ll be able to enter the next edition too.” Pontardawe Town were relegated from the JD Cymru South despite their 2-1 victory over Baglan Dragons on the final day of the campaign.  Andzejs Dubjaga broke the deadlock with a stunning strike in the 35th minute before Taylor Aylward converted from the penalty spot to double the lead with 15 minutes remaining.  Ponty were able to able to hold on to the win despite Dan Williams’ late goal for the Dragons but their attempt of a great escape was in vain as Llantwit Major earned a 3-0 away victory at Carmarthen Town to secure safety in style.  Chris Bell’s first goal for the Major could not have come at a better time as he opened the scoring on 35 minutes while Matty Kimmins made it 2-0 before half-time with a moment of solo brilliance.  Ioan Emanuel added a third goal seven minutes after the restart to seal the win while Carmarthen’s day got even worse when captain Noah Daley was sent off for two yellow cards in the space of eight minutes Defeat for the Old Gold allowed Caerau Ely to secure an impressive fifth-place finish in their first season back in the JD Cymru South as they triumphed 3-1 away at already-relegated Abergavenny Town.  Young Guns captain Jack Ashford converted from the penalty spot to put his side ahead in the 36th minute which remained the difference between the two teams before a flurry of late goals.  Teenager Dan Ingram scored his first goal of the campaign to double the lead on 78 minutes before Abergavenny quickly responded through their top scorer Rhys Schwank.  Caerau Ely substitute Conor McNamara restored the two-goal cushion with his first senior goal for the club in the last few moments.  Cwmbran Celtic striker Alex Bonthron claimed the JD Cymru South golden boot as his late brace inspired his team to a 3-1 home win over Goytre United.  Lewis Iles’ early opener for Celtic remained the only goal of the match up until the 80th minute where Goyt drew level through Eduardo Bregua.  Just when it seemed the points would be shared Bonthron restored Celtic’s lead with an 87th-minute strike before he reached 30 league goals for the season deep into stoppage time by chipping the ball over Morgan Selway in the Goytre goal and heading in.  Ammanford concluded their impressive campaign by coming from behind to win 3-1 over Taffs Well at Rhiw Dda’r.  Ben Parry gave the Wellmen an early lead as he tucked away the rebound from Ellis Sage’s initially saved effort but a defensive mistake allowed Lewis Reed to level the affair with 25 minutes on the clock.  Reed grabbed his second of the afternoon and his 25th goal of the campaign to put the visitors ahead midway through the second half and with Taffs Well pushing forward in search of an equaliser Ammanford took their opportunity on the counter-attack as Callum Thomas sealed the three points late on Liam Griffiths’ hat-trick inspired Afan Lido to an emphatic 5-2 victory over already-relegated Abertillery Bluebirds at Cwm Nant Y Groes.  Griffiths had his early opener cancelled out by Ryan Meredith but the striker restored Lido’s lead on the stroke of half-time with his second of the afternoon.  Ieuan Owen and Chris Jones added third and fourth goals with classy strikes before Griffiths completed hat-trick with a composed finish from goalkeeper Exauce Dimonekene’s long ball.  Curtis Methven found the top corner with a wonderful effort for the Bluebirds but his strike was only a consolation as Lido confirmed a seventh-place finish Cambrian & Clydach Vale finished the campaign with the best defensive record in the division after their goalless draw at home to Trefelin.  but neither were able to break the deadlock as both defences were on top form at the M&P Group 3G Vale end their campaign with a seven-match unbeaten streak and a point also proved enough for them to confirm a fourth-place finish Abergavenny Town 1-3 Caerau ElyAbertillery Bluebirds 2-5 Afan LidoBaglan Dragons 1-2 Pontardawe TownCambrian & Clydach Vale 0-0 TrefelinCarmarthen Town 0-3 Llantwit MajorCwmbran Celtic 3-1 Goytre UnitedTaffs Well 1-3 Ammanford John F Kennedy… Oh to have been a fly on Llantwit Major's crumbly walls The case against Erosion: not too close to the sea Well connected? What's this? A new station! With hourly trains to Cardiff (50 minutes) Hang out at… The Old Swan Inn, the 16th-century pub of your dreams. Oscars of Cowbridge for posh Where to buy The West End is the old part where Suburbanites and those after sea views and all mod cons head down Dimlands Road towards St Donat's Bargain of the week A challenge: a Victorian United Reform church in the centre, looking for a new future, yours for £125,000, with coark.com with enough pubs to do a pub crawl with your eyes closed a proper butcher and a lovely Norman church." country walks and big city attractions of Cardiff just a train or bus ride away." Sue Sanders "The Farmers Pantry sells local, well-cared-for meat and eggs, and the local food co-op in Bethel Baptist church is great for fresh veg and home-baked goodies." Do you live in Seaton or Beer, Devon? Do you have a favourite haunt or a pet hate? If so, please write to lets.move@theguardian.com by Tuesday 1 April. CloseA 23-year-old woman has died after a rock fell on her head on a beach in south Wales Emergency services were called to the beach in Llantwit Major South Wales Police said the woman's body was found after she died in a "tragic accident" Former coast warden Steve George said some visitors pass under the cliffs "completely and utterly unaware of the danger they are in" Shareclose panelShare pageCopy linkAbout sharingRead descriptionExplore moreVisitors 'unaware' of beach danger 00:02:40Visitors 'unaware' of beach danger 2:40Up Next Beach rock fall death 'really sad' Video 00:00:57Beach rock fall death 'really sad' 0:57Woman killed on beach by falling rock 00:01:05Woman killed on beach by falling rock 1:05Editor's recommendationsMerz defeat 'an obstacle not a catastrophe' Video