14/09/2012 BBC Wales Today

Welcome to Wales Today, where a homecoming parade is under way to

celebrate the achievements of a Libyan said Paralympians. They are

on the steps of the Senedd. 68 athletes completed in London, now

it is their chance to say thank you for the support, and hundreds have

come out to see them. I used to say I do tae kwon do and people said,

what's that, but now people say, it's Jade Jones. It's fantastic, to

turn round, I know they are proud of us but we are proud of them.

see 82,000 people in that stadium cheering for our Paralympians was

absolutely fantastic. Nyree Kindred is my second cousin. She had a

silver medal and I think she did Good evening. Also tonight: Plaid

Cymru leader, Leanne Wood, says green energy and innovation are the

keys to kick-starting the economy. One year on from the Gleision

mining tragedy, coal producers insist safety in the industry as a

priority. And the Tour of Britain roles in to

Wales, but for some fans with stick-on sideburns, disappointment,

Good evening. Welcome to Wales Today Live from Cardiff Bay this

evening. What a summer of Sport it was, and the party is continuing

tonight. We I hear live for the homecoming parade to celebrate the

achievements of our Welsh Olympians and Paralympians. There are cheers

on the stage behind me as they are introduced, cheered by hundreds of

people on the stage. I am sure like many back home, you were glued to

your TV this summer as we watched all the action, we saw them make

personal bests, set world records and win medals. I spoke to many of

the athletes here this afternoon, who told me it was really important

for them to be here tonight. They wanted say thank-you to the Welsh

public for their support this summer, and hundreds are here on

this bit of living in Cardiff Bay. I have seen children and buggies

and elderly gentlemen in their eighties, all here with their

cameras to capture that special moment of their favourite Olympian

and Paralympian. Ashleigh Crowter is down at the heart of it with the

crowd, and he has spoken to some Olympians and Paralympians.

That's right. As you say, the athletes are now taking to the

stage. The medalists are the last on, and I am here with two of the

gents with the most precious metal of the Mall, Mark Goldberg -- Mark

Holborn and Tom James. -- Mark Holborn. Have you ever met before?

How well do know each other? We are almost passing ships in the night

from the Olympics, which was prior to the Paralympics, but it is a

pleasure to meet him. Is it an inspiration to meet each other and

meet these athletes you have no doubt been inspired by? Definitely.

It is great to see, we amalgamated so get there -- together so well.

This is a great way to celebrate together and make it a bigger

occasion, it is fantastic. I know you said sometimes you find it hard

to let your achievements England. Two events like this help? They do.

It is a good feeling. We do what we do. Sometimes you say you do it to

win for yourself but when you're there it feels like so much more,

and the crowds are fantastic, and it is great to come here and other

people to Sears, and for us to say thank you, because there are so

many aspects to the Olympic Games, and the Paralympic Games, the

volunteers and armed forces and everyone who supported us at home,

so it is very important. Mark, you became a national hero overnight.

What will the impact be on performances -- of performances

like Jaws on the perception of sport and how many people take it

up? -- like yours. For me as a professional cyclist albeit with a

disability, who hopefully what I and Paralympics GB have achieved

over the last few weeks can inspire everyone. Right up to my age from

young kids, to take up the sports and have a passion. From my side of

the fences is all about ability, not disability, so hopefully what I

have achieved can inspire people for the future. You have definitely

there has been a huge inspiration. You on stage in a few seconds.

Thank you and have a great evening. Those are two gold medallist, we

will see more of them later in the programme. You were getting in

trouble for keeping them talking, they will be on stage for a few

minutes. Sara head, who won bronze in the Paralympics, has been called

up. Everyone is getting a huge cheer. Many arrived early this

afternoon and were inside the Senedd catching up with each other,

and I managed to put four together to tell me about their experiences

this summer. I don't think I have ever been

surrounded by so much silver and gold. Let me introduce you to two

Paralympians, Nyree Kindred and Alec Sean Davis, and two Olympians,

Chris Bartley and Jade Jones. Let me start with you, Jade. Many of us

almost lost on up -- minds that night when you one. Have you relive

it time and time again? I remember two minutes ago -- to go, then I am

Olympic champion, in tae kwon do anything can happen so when the

buzzer went I went crazy. How much has life changed for uses the

Olympics? It has changed a lot, just for tae kwon do to be

recognised is amazing. It is still not a mainstream sport, so what is

your ambition with it? You are on the crest of a wave of Olympic

success, but how would you like it to develop and get children

involved? I wanted to be as big as other sports. I used to say I do

tae kwon do and people would go, what's that, but now they go, it's

Jade Jones in the tae kwon do, so I am happy about that. Chris, for you,

an incredible silver on the water at Eton Dorney. Take us back to

that moment. It is brilliant. I don't remember much of it. You went

very well afterwards. Pretty ill, but the main thing I remember is

the unbelievable support in the last 500, so noisy, nothing you

would expect for a rowing race. I'm really pleased with the result at

the end of the day. I know you need a rest but let's look for years

ahead. Are you up for Rio? I had a great time at this Olympics, but it

is four years, a lot can happen, so many young people are coming

through in a sport that could beat me out. I'm sure they won't!

Hopefully see you there. For the moment, relish the silver. Nyree

Kindred, if I can come to you, a veteran Paralympian, your 4th Games,

how was London? Absolutely fantastic, walking out from my race,

that gave me the advantage of any Games I have been too, the crowd

behind us and my daughter in the crowd spurred me on to swim faster.

We saw their heroes Parade, many swimmers in the national pool in

Swansea, what reaction are the youngsters giving you? Tickets are

loving it and if we can inspire a future generation, that is our aim.

Now we have competed in London we can inspire future generation.

I really enjoyed watching you. Aled committee were one of my favourite

celebration moments, just incredible, I can see you proudly -

- Paddy were in a muddle. That discus thrower was unbelievable.

was big for me. The Iranian guy had chased me all the way through and

pulled at six lifetime bests, which is phenomenal. I knew he wouldn't

go out with a fight -- without a fight. It was his 5th game and he

won silver every time. I can see how determined you were. How

important was having a family on home soil with you? It was my first

Games, and a home Games was incredible. My brother came from

Australia to see me, which was amazing. It was such an emotional

roller-coaster, the whole experience. When I finished

competing it was sad, but I was happy. It was an epic journey.

you posted any letters from the gold postbox at the end of the

street? Not yet. I went home yesterday to see its, but I haven't

managed to. You can post Christmas cards from there. I probably will,

just for that! Congratulations everybody and have a great evening

tonight. Well done. Alex just had the lead most huge

cheer as he was introduced on the stage behind me. We will speak to

his incredibly proud parents in a moment, but Jason Mohammad is

tonight compere of the event. Let's see who he is introducing. Tom

There he is, you can just see Tom James on the stage now. A huge

cheer for him as well, and Mark Colbourn, here we go now...

We have been waiting all day to see, back in Wales, from the world of

tae kwon do, gold medallist, your gold medallist, Jade Jones!

Ladies and gentlemen, boys and girls, once again, your Olympic and

Paralympic champions, Team GB, give them a very warm reception! Welcome

CHEERING AND APPLAUSE a huge cheer for the Team GB athletes.

Very well done. Two people screaming loudly are the parents

are valid Sean Davis. Jacquie and you. He was very excited. How has

this roller-coaster ride been this summer? Gosh, absolutely amazing.

We are a hive. I don't think we will ever come down. We are so

proud. You so you -- we saw you both cheering him on and you were

very emotional. It was incredible. We were willing him to win and

carry on. It is very hard to describe unless you are a parent

and you have somebody doing that in front of you, it's awesome. He has

worked so hard for this, hasn't he? Very hard, yes. He deserves it and

am so pleased. I was thrilled with the bronze, and they thought, great,

he's done something he wanted to do, but when he had the gold, oh, my

gosh, absolutely fantastic. What was it like watching that moment,

breaking world records? I was watching but Jacquie wasn't! I

thought I was going to die, so nervous! On that day, a whole arena,

80,000 people -- watching Aled and the Iranian, a little cheer went up

when the Iranian failed to mates -- to beat Aled, and when Aled through

again and threw it another metre, the reef just came off. And he

hasn't said he did it, but have you posted letters from the gold

postbox? I have, definitely. Enjoyed every minute? Of course, it

was wonderful. Lovely to Spytty. The chair of Sport Wales, Laura

McAllister is here. Alec's parents are very proud, but this is a

celebration for all the Welsh athletes. I am as proud of Aled as

his parents. It is fantastic to see so many people come up to say thank

you for bringing incredible joy to us this summer, and it is up to us

for -- to make the most of it and build on the legacy and ensure

children have the opportunity people like Josie, Aled and Mark

Colbourne have had. Thank you. Much more from here and the steps of the

Senedd in Cardiff Bay and a Welsh athletes a little later in the

Good evening. At Plaid Cymru's annual conference, party leader

Leanne Wood has promised a Green New Deal to rejuvenate the Welsh

economy. She told delegates in Brecon that the country is being

held back by "economic underdevelopment". Our political

editor Betsan Powys is there. Thank you. It has been a busy day

in Brecon, a busy political day. Leanne Wood using a first

opportunity to talk to delegates at the look -- at the annual

conference. They had been other attractions in town as well.

Following them all was our political reporter, Carl Roberts.

The flags were out in force and Brecon today although it was the

tour of Britain thundering through the town that brought the people

out. The cyclist had left by the time the main conference attraction

to to the stage at a Theatr Brycheiniog. Leanne Wood has been

in her job for six months and lot of her time has been taken

reorganising her party. On stage today her message was not aimed for

the members. What you see and what you hear is what you get with me. I

promise that is my last joke before I address you all. The views from

appear stretch for miles into the heart of Wales. It is there that

Leanne Wood's focusing her attention and she looks the

solutions to the problems facing the Welsh economy. She has taken

inspiration from 1930s America. She is launching a new deal for Wales.

Wales needs jobs. There is plenty of work that needs doing. Like

President Roosevelt and his economic plans in the USA of the

30s, Wales needs a new New Deal, a Green New Deal. It was a lot -- a

speech light on detail. They will be years of door knocking, to

eating, a million conversations in order for her party to govern. For

Leanne Wood the one conversation is over, for her party there are

plenty more to come. Before Leanne Wood had to leave

Brecon and hotfoot it to joining the celebrations with the Olympians

and Paralympians in Cardiff Bay, I managed to catch up with them and

ask why it was she had concentrated and focused so exclusively on the

economy and on jobs. It is clear that whenever you -- wherever you

go people's main concern is the problem with the economy. People

are struggling to put food on the table and pay their bills. 24% of

youth unemployment is in Wales and it is imperative we put our efforts

into creating jobs and hope for young people for the future. What

about the Green New Deal? It is a slogan but I don't know what it

means. It means creating jobs in the green sector, it means building

and resilience in our economy by creating more renewable energy and

producing more food. It does mean that there will be a jobs scheme

for young people and jobs created which is what we need as a do you

accept that Plaid Cymru had a long way to go to persuade voters in

Wales that you do hold the key to the economy before they are

persuaded to vote for you again? have got to do that were,

persuading people and making sure that they understand what our

programme is. A week is a long time in politics a four years as a very

long time and that means we have the time to do this work. When we

do it will deliver the results we want. No talk of independence in

your speech, is it because it is a battle lost? Everybody understands

what our position is on independence. People want to hear

from Plaid Cymru about what we intend to do about the current

economic situation. We will hear of it again? Yes, you will hear of it

again. As Leanne Wood and said, the next Welsh elections and not until

2016 bits you be aware that by then she will have to find some ways of

closing this deal that was on offer today. Delegates will be back here

in Theatr Brycheiniog tomorrow. If you want to watch proceedings live

you can tune in to BBC Two at 2 o'clock. We will be live between 2

o'clock and four o'clock tomorrow. But from Brecon, back to you in

Cardiff. It's a year since four men died in

the Gleision mining tragedy in the Swansea Valley. A collapse in a

small drift mine a shocking reminder of the dangers of the

industry. Also a reminder that a coal industry still exists here,

employing around 1,200 people. Nick Servini reports. The desperate

rescue attempts formed part of the long and sometimes tragic history

of coal mining in Wales. But small drift mines like Gleision without

large machinery are now few and far between. A very sad and the

unfortunate incident. But I think it has to be said that the Gleision

mind was not representative of what we do in deep mining in the UK

today or even in South Wales. Safety is less of an issue for most

Welsh mining now as its overwhelmingly carried out on

opencast sites. Whether from the surface and underground, finding

people to sell coal to is not a problem with the Port Talbot

steelworks and the Aberthaw power station in the Vale of Glamorgan,

both massive coal burners. For a mind like this in any family having

such major customers virtually on his doorstep is a big advantage. As

ever with the coal industry it is all about the cost of getting at it

compared with the price you can sell it. Currently, there is it

global surplus of coal which has driven the price down. The company

here says 90 jobs are at risk. Where does that leave the future?

The chairman of Tower Colliery which was the last deep pit in

Wales believes it is promising. have got the cold, we have got the

market. All we need to do, if we wanted to, is get their minds. At

the moment I see the next 10 years in place. Coal-mining in Wales is

changing and growing. The only place in Britain where production

has increased this year. Nick Servini on the state of the

coal industry in Wales. On Monday we'll hear from families who lost

loved ones at Gleision here on Wales Today and on a special Week

In Week Out that's at 8.30pm. Three people have been treated in

hospital after an outbreak of Legionnaires' disease in Carmarthen.

It's contracted by breathing in droplets from contaminated water

and can be fatal. Health officials say they're trying to identify the

source. The cases all have links to the town but are no longer in

hospital. The commissioners helping run

Anglesey Council are recommending the Welsh Government cuts the level

Some of the world's best cyclists have spent the day racing through

Wales as the Tour of Britain continues. But Bradley Wiggins, The

Tour de France and Olympic champion, wasn't on the starting line at

Powis Castle in Welshpool. He had a stomach bug.

In the shadow of Powis Castle one of the crown jewels of the cycling

calendar left Welshpool on its making journey down through the

green heart of Wales. The race has been so Wales before and the 190

kilometre route is a firm favourite with the Cardiff rider who has been

named in the GB squad for the World Championships. It is pretty special.

It is not often you get to race at home. Once a year is the only time

I get a race at home so it is nice to see if he was flags around.

Bradley Wiggins disappointed the fans after he was ruled out with

gastroenteritis. There were still plenty to cheer as the day took the

riders down through mid Wales and on to a gruelling king of the

mountain-climbing Brecon. The final stages in the grounds of Caerphilly

Castle where plenty of fans came to watch some of the best cyclists in

the world cross the line in a scintillating sprint finish.

Jonathan Tiernan-Locke becomes the race leader. I came back and it was

straight forward into the finish. The castle to Castle route to

showcase the best Wales has to offer. Picture-perfect scenery and

passionate fans. Time now for the It has been a blustery day that the

winds have eased off. We will see more cloud before the north you are

that in the side we will see clearer conditions. -- but in the

south. We will see a ridge of high pressure building. We will see more

cloud across parts of north and west. Perhaps the odd shower but

further inland lot of beautiful sunshine, dry and much lighter

winds compared with today. Feel a warm in the sunshine. Sunday was

that of dry with some sunshine across the south-east. Quite

quickly we will see this rain band It is fine and dry for the

wonderful celebrations in Cardiff Bay. Let's go back to Claire. What

a night. Golden rays of sunshine beaming

down on our Welsh Olympians and Paralympians. The cannons have gone

off. The First Minister has just spoken and paid his thanks and

tributes to allow us athletes. We will be hearing to some of them all

day. They tell us this has been a summer they will never ever forget.

What I have achieved their what Paralympics GB has achieved can

inspire people of all ages from the young kids to people of my age to

take up the sport, have a passion. From my side of the fence it is

about ability not disability. Welsh athletes competed in the

summer Games and what an incredible summer it has been. 21 Welsh