07/10/2016 BBC Wales Today

Work begins on the site of a large shopping

and leisure complex in Merthyr Tydfil with the hope

Some of the cottages were being burned down.

There are calls for the Welsh Secretary to consider his position.

One of Wales' leading heart surgeons calls for a ground-breaking

operation to be made routinely available on the NHS.

Picking up debris from drug use - the Cardiff community that claims

police aren't doing enough to tackle the sale of drugs.

The residents to worry for their children and the walkers. Everybody

is in danger. New Swansea City manager Bob Bradley

tells me it's a special club and he cannot wait for his first

game in charge. I go out of my way to make sure

players understand, come on, let's enjoy the moment and go for it.

It's been on the agenda for 20 years but work is now underway

on a ?40 million retail and leisure complex in Merthyr Tydfil.

Trago Mills, which runs three stores in Cornwall and Devon,

says it'll create 1,000 jobs in construction and 400

It was granted planning permission in 1999 but work has

Here's our business correspondent Brian Meechan.

This was once an old brickworks, part of Merthyr Tydfil's industrial

past. On the Hill above the town, the retail park, home to many big

chains, work is starting on a less familiar name. This the new Trago

Mills site. It sells everything from carpets to clothes. They have all

the brands, a typical retail Park, the pre-eminent retail Park in the

valleys already. You will add our value proposition to it, I think it

is an offer that the shopping public will resist and it will put Merthyr

as a destination on the map. This is what it should look like but it has

been a long time coming. Merthyr council has tonight given the

go-ahead to a ?20 million out of town development. Planning problems

and economic turmoil caused continued delays but now work is

finally underway. 1000 construction jobs will be created during the

course of this project. ?21 million has already been spent in the local

economy and that includes 75 per cent of the steel that is being used

here coming from Port Talbot directly. It is the latest in a

series of big investments in Merthyr in recent years. In March, General

Dynamics opened its new plant in the town where it assembles and tests

the next generation of armoured vehicles, creating 250 jobs. And

more than 250 people are employed at an exhaust maker. Part of the

council strategy is to develop economic development and

regeneration. We have got a very strong team and they work with

manufacturers and retailers from start to finish. It really is a good

package we offer. The unemployment rate in Merthyr seems to bear that

out. In the last five years it has halved. That is still higher than

the current Welsh average though. There are concerns that the new

shopping development could attract people away from the town centre.

This restaurant opened a year ago. The owners say it is thriving and

believe Trago Mills as to what the town has two offer. I think a lot

has been done by Merthyr Council, the college in the centre of town as

well, that is all creating excitement in the town itself. There

is a need for both a retail Park but also the town centre should be a

thriving hub as well. Trago Mills Reject any suggestions that its

plans will hurt shots in the town. Children here today were not even

born when this was first planned. But the council say this is a clear

sign that Merthyr is on the up. There are calls tonight

for the Welsh Secretary It comes after he claimed

Plaid Cymru members may have broken the law to stop people who don't

speak Welsh from moving into areas where Welsh

is the dominant language. Alun Cairns made the comments

on the BBC's Question Time programme last night after he told Plaid

leader Leanne Wood that her party seemed to be open to immigration

into the UK, but not You absolutely know that we can

go to communities... The audioence will know as well

there are communities in Wales where there are nationalist

activists that take direct action It was not so long ago that some

of the cottages were Hang on, that was nothing to do

with Plaid Cymru. Our political correspondent

Arwyn Jones is here. It started off as a discussion with

accusations that the Conservatives were making life difficult for

people moving into the UK to work and live as immigrants. Alun Cairns

turns that onto Plaid Cymru, accusing them in Welsh speaking

areas. He mentioned burning cottages, that is a reference to the

late 1970s and 1980s campaign, 30 odd years ago, holiday homes being

burned down as a backlash against wealthy English people buying second

homes in rural parts of Welsh Wales. Leanne Wood not happy that there was

an insinuation that Plaid Cymru members were involved in that. There

is no evidence to support any members of Plaid Cymru was involved.

Only one man has been convicted of being part of that campaign, member

of another group who were critical of Plaid Cymru. That is why we have

seen the Plaid Cymru leader in Westminster saying Alun Cairns

should consider his position. I think he should apologise

and consider whether he I am not calling on him to resign,

that is a matter for him, So has there been any reaction from

the Welsh Secretary today? I have spoken to his office and he has no

further comment to make. But for Plaid Cymru, the difficulty is, go

back ten or 15 years when they went through a rough patch. Some of their

councillors associated with a group who were accused of being

anti-English and racist. They worked very hard to shed that image of just

standing for Welsh communities, especially under Leanne Wood. I

think they are angry today not just because of the baseless accusations

but also it is a really touchy subject for Plaid Cymru.

A pharmaceutical company in Flintshire is to close

Parent company Quantum Pharma says NuPharm will cease trading

at Deeside Industrial Park by the end of December due

It says closure is the only viable option.

NuPharm makes products for the pharmaceutical

The cause of an oil spill which means 100,000 litres

of kerosene have leaked into a Carmarthenshire

The pipeline which carries Kerosene from Pembroke's Valero refinery

Valero say it's a complex operation and it could take days

Union leaders have met with bosses at Ford's plant in Bridgend.

Len McLuskey, the General Secretary of Unite, says he impressed

upon the Ford team that their UK plants deserve a bright future.

The site, which employs about 1,850 people, will cut production

of new petrol engines and investment at the plant.

Heart surgery is amongst the most complex things the NHS does.

And recently surgeons in Cardiff became the first in Wales

to perform a ground breaking procedure which could help

But, as things stand, the surgery isn't routinely

But one of the country's leading heart surgeons has told this

programmes it's "essential" it should be.

Our health correspondent Owain Clarke has this exclusive

report, which does contain images of a heart operation.

It's early morning but this surgical team at Wales' biggest

This elderly patient had been complaining about chest pains.

Doctors found out that one of the valves in his heart

It's quite a complicated thing to repare but with one of Wales'

most eminent heart surgeons in charge, you would not know it.

He is having an aortic valve replacement.

It should hopefully give him a better quality of life.

Any type of heart surgery, by its very nature, can be really

But earlier on this year in the summer, the lead

surgeon here and her team managed to push the boundaries further

than ever before and perform a procedure that has never before

Blood is pumped from the heart through a big blood

But if there is a weakness in its walls, it can begin to bulge.

burst, the consequences can be catastrophic.

Although it is rare, if any of the bulges

burst, the consequences can be catastrophic.

Previously repairing certain types of aneurysms would have needed

a patient to undergo two separate big operations.

We open the breastbone and once we have got the patient ready,

we basically stop the circulation and we opened the arch

of the aorta and we deploy this, this is how it looks when it

comes out of its package, we deploy it into the aorta

She carried out the procedure for the first time in Cardiff just

This patient had a 6.5 centimetre aneurysm which could

She has not been able to travel around so with this fix,

But you don't have to take the doctor's word for it.

She had a family history of heart problems.

I would go to New Zealand every other year because my

I lost that but now I have had my operation I can go.

The problem is, the operation, as things stand, is not

It only took place because there was a special request for funding.

But the process of making those requests is long and drawn-out.

The alternative is to send a to Birmingham.

Especially with advanced screening, more of these are diagnosed,

so it is essential that we offer this as a service routinely and have

This team and the heart surgery unit in Cardiff can already boast

some of the best results anywhere in Britain.

The hope is that soon they will be able to do even more,

offering surgery that is right at the cutting edge.

After helping Wales to a 2-2 draw against Austria,

Joe Allen is a major doubt for Sunday's qualifier

And marking 50 years since the Aberfan disaster -

new work by renowned composer Sir Karl Jenkins will be

Residents of the Butetown area of Cardiff claim police aren't doing

enough to tackle the sale of drugs in their community.

They say heroin and cannabis are openly sold in parks

and playgrounds and addicts are discarding dirty

Sandwiched between affluent Cardiff Bay and the city

centre is the old docks community of Butetown.

Many who live here are becoming increasingly concerned that the area

Community activists say heroin and cannabis is openly sold

and taken in very public places like parks and children's

Christian Wagstaff is so concerned by the problem that his morning

ritual now involves personally picking up the drugs debris

That is a spoon they use for burning.

He coaches the local football team, AFC Butetown.

Tiger Bay AFC also play here and there are fears that

a child or a player may be injured by needles lying in the grass.

I think it is only a matter of time before somebody has

I have had conversations with the council and police

and obviously nothing has been done, as you can see.

If you get a needlestick injury, you could get HIV or hepatitis,

and obviously then you would be ineffective for life.

But it's not just needlestick injuries that people

Some in the community are very angry because they say the police are not

doing enough to tackle the dealers that are supplying the drugs

We have got the biggest police station in the area

That is the long and short of the story and they are not

doing anything about it, as you seen today.

Saeed Noor Ebrahim has lived in the area all his life

and believes more needs to be done to protect the public

from the drug dealers, users and the mess they leave behind.

It's just getting out of hand at this current time.

The residents do worry for their children and walkers.

Everybody is in danger of the needles.

We have got a number of hostels nearby and that might be an element

of it but it is just an issue that needs to be looked at thoroughly.

We have had the Council come to clean a number of times

Council staff were in the area today picking up litter.

Police are also aware of the problem.

PCO Will Barnett says he often patrols the park and finds

The citric acid is mixed with the heroin before they inject.

It's an issue with kids playing football here.

That's why we get rid of it as quick as we can.

South Wales Police say there is a zero tolerance to drug

dealers in Cardiff and say those who spread the misery

of addiction will be dealt with swiftly and robustly.

They say in the past couple of weeks alone,

officers have executed six drug warrants in the area which has

resulted in the seizure of crack cocaine and heroin with a street

But some residents believe more needs to be done to reclaim

the parks and public spaces for the community as a whole.

Time for the sport, and Claire's at the Liberty Stadium for us tonight.

It's the first Pro 12 Welsh derby of the season.

Tonight, the Ospreys take on the Cardiff Blues.

It should be a cracker with both teams focused on moving

First, the Liberty Stadium is of course also home

to Swansea City and the club's new manager Bob Bradley

has been getting used to his new surroundings.

The 58-year-old American has been speaking for the first time today

and says he's hoping to create a special atmosphere at the club.

He is known as the no-nonsense, smooth-talking American.

Bob Bradley meeting the media today, seeming relaxed and keen

He believes Swansea is a special club.

What I know is that when you have a club with a soul,

a club that has real passion and real supporters,

At 58, he is the first American ever to manage in the Premier League.

He started coaching at just 22 and his career has seen him

in charge of the United States and spells in Egypt,

He is fully aware of Swansea City's trademark passing style of play

but with the team having not won since the opening day of the season,

he later told me he knows the pressure will be on.

That ability to deliver a message and establish an identity

where every time you go on the field you go for it, you're not afraid,

you put your front foot forward, I like that kind of approach.

I will go out of my way to make sure players understand, come on,

let's enjoy the moment and go for it.

Swansea City press conferences attract a lot of media interest

these days and with American owners and now an American manager,

there is certainly a lot of curiosity from across the pond.

The feeling among the American soccer community is that this

appointment could be a breakthrough for the nation.

I have never seen somebody more fearless in the path, in the choices

From somebody who is obviously very close with him,

who looks up to him in every way, I could not be more proud.

There could have been an awkward moment this afternoon.

Former manager Francesco Guidolin spotted in the reception

of the hotel before Bradley was unveiled.

Thankfully they did not bump into each other.

Hailing from New Jersey, Bob Bradley has got music in his blood.

His passion for Springsteen and Bowie has been well documented

so expect a dressing room with the rock music pumping.

Swansea City are accustomed to making interesting appointments.

Well, it's a busy week on the manager front.

Newport County have appointed Graham Westley as their new manager.

The 48-year-old former Peterborough boss replaces Warren Feeney,

County are currently bottom of League Two.

Wales boss Chris Coleman says he was proud of his side

following their draw against Austria last night.

It was a below-par performance but Wales held on to salvage the draw.

Goal scorer Joe Allen is expected to miss Sunday's World Cup

The fans heading home having seen their side pick up a point.

Wales go into Sunday's game with Georgia still unbeaten.

Joe Allen, the scorer of Wales' opening goal.

He left the field with a hamstring injury and will have a scan today.

We would not gamble with any of the players because it is not

Joe belongs to Stoke City and we have to try and send him back

Normally he scores tap-ins but it was a great one.

As we said before the game and in the last campaign, whoever

The manager said Wales started slowly and nervously.

Austria, who have not lost a competitive match here since 2012,

When we are not playing well, we know we have to dig deep

We are showing what a good team we are even when we are not playing

They were lucky to see this one go in.

But defensive mistakes allowed the hosts to salvage a point.

Wales will be expected to get all three points in their next game.

We prepare for every game exactly the same.

We look at the other team and then it's all about what we do.

If people say we are favourites, that's fine.

Despite what Chris Coleman described as a below-par performance,

Wales leave Vienna with a valuable point.

They are overwhelming favourites to win on Sunday but Chris Coleman's

Now, back to rugby, and the Ospreys welcome the Blues for the first

The Blues are the leading Welsh region.

Their defeat to Leinster last weekend, their first

The Ospreys have lost two on the trot.

Scrum V Live is over on BBC2 Wales at 7:30pm.

There's also coverage on BBC Radio Wales Sport from 7pm.

That is it from me. Back to you in the studio.

This month marks 50 years since the Aberfan disaster.

144 people died, most of them children, when a coal waste tip

slid down the mountain, engulfing Pantglas Junior School.

Over the coming weeks there will be many special events to mark

And tomorrow, a new choral work by renowned composer

Sir Karl Jenkins will be premiered at the Wales Millennium Centre,

There were hundreds of people trying to do their best,

Occasionally there would be a shout for people to be quiet,

and if there was a hint of a body somewhere, people were really

encouraged to carry on and to try and draw that child out of the tip.

Half a century ago, the Reverend Milton Jenkins

witnessed the aftermath of the Aberfan disaster.

His cousin's child, nine-year-old Dyfrig,

I shall never forget that day, that week.

I am still reminded of that terrible tragedy.

And I am still reminded of those hundreds of people

who were here during that time, helping, doing their very best,

to bring some of those children out from under the debris.

In the work, Cantata Memoria, world renowned composer

Sir Karl Jenkins, tries to convey the experiences and emotions

It was hugely emotional, it was harrowing but paradoxically

The piece gets gradually more optimistic as it goes on.

How children love light is one line in it.

And there is another dual theme going on, that of birdsong

It was said that there was no birdsong before

The work will be premiered tomorrow at the Wales Millennium Centre

in Cardiff, performed by Sinfonia Cymru as well as

a children's choir of 116, the number of children

There was an overwhelming sense of responsibility.

One is very aware of the sensitivity surrounding this and just hoping

that whatever we came up with was in some way...

That it will meet with the approval of the people of Aberfan.

The piece is a testament to the strength of the community

that rebuilt itself and fought for justice.

It remembers the tragedy but looks to the future 50 years after one

of the worst industrial disasters the world has ever seen.

And you can see highlights of tomorrow's concert on 'Aberfan -

Cantata Memoria', on S4C on Sunday night at 7:30pm.

The weekend weather forecast now with Derek.

Hurricane Matthew is the big story on the other side of the Atlantic,

moving up the east coast of Florida today, towards the coast of Georgia

Closer to home, our weather is much quieter with high pressure

Now much of Wales has been cloudy today.

The cloud was thin enough to allow some brightness through.

A few holes in the cloud and it may turn a bit misty in places.

Lowest temperatures around 7 to 11 Celsius.

Tomorrow's chart shows high pressure still over Scandinavia stopping

fronts over the Atlantic from reaching us.

So here's the picture for 8am in the morning.

A cloudy and misty start in places but dry.

Breaks in the cloud and some sunshine.

Some bright spells and sunshine but some cloud in the mix as well.

I wouldn't rule out the odd shower but most places dry.

Top temperatures around 14 to 17 Celsius with lighter winds.

In Gwynedd tomorrow, dry with clouds and sunshine.

Mostly cloudy with a few bright intervals.

Tomorrow evening and night will be dry.

Cloud will come and go with perhaps the odd isolated shower.

Clearer later in the night and chilly with the odd

Maybe a shower in the north-east in the late afternoon.

Temperatures average 13 to 15 Celsius.

In the sunshine it will feel very pleasant with a light breeze

If you're travelling to Cardiff for the football on Sunday,

the weather fine and dry with light winds.

Our next update is at 8pm and then again after the 10pm News.