:00:00. > :00:00.Welcome to Wales Today - our headlines tonight:
:00:00. > :00:08.A new election, some old faces - former Plaid Cymru
:00:09. > :00:11.leader Ieuan Wyn Jones - the latest to throw his hat into
:00:12. > :00:22.With just weeks to go, tonight the race to find candidates.
:00:23. > :00:30.They are not expected to be finding candidates for some time, some
:00:31. > :00:40.years. Now they have to do it in a matter of days.
:00:41. > :00:41.Tonight's other headlines - teenager Ethan Williams,
:00:42. > :00:51.waiting two and a half years for a kidney operation.
:00:52. > :00:58.really impacting on my life. It shouldn't have taken this long. It's
:00:59. > :01:00.just unacceptable. Astronomers flock from
:01:01. > :01:02.all over the country to enjoy our dark skies
:01:03. > :01:05.but could that be about to change? Why nature lovers
:01:06. > :01:07.want to buy 300 acres And in tonight's sport:
:01:08. > :01:13.He started the London Marathon as an amateur
:01:14. > :01:15.but finished booking himself Josh Griffiths from Ammanford stuns
:01:16. > :01:25.the athletics world. He used to be a big name
:01:26. > :01:30.in politics, the Plaid Cymru MP Now Ieuan Wyn Jones
:01:31. > :01:37.wants to make a comeback and stand once again
:01:38. > :01:41.in his old constituency of Ynys Mon This comes as all parties
:01:42. > :01:45.are working frantically behind the scenes to chose candidates
:01:46. > :01:47.after last week's surprise Here's our political
:01:48. > :01:56.editor Nick Servini. He's one of the big
:01:57. > :01:59.beasts of Welsh politics. Ieuan Wyn Jones has been
:02:00. > :02:03.on the scene for many years. Not only is the former MP
:02:04. > :02:06.and assembly member that Anglesey, but as the Welsh government's forma
:02:07. > :02:12.Deputy First Minister. It's been confirmed that he'll
:02:13. > :02:17.try to become Plaid's candidate in June but he'll have to win
:02:18. > :02:21.the nomination is against a number of others within
:02:22. > :02:23.the party on Wednesday. In these exceptional circumstances
:02:24. > :02:25.and they are exceptional circumstances, I believe we need
:02:26. > :02:27.people of experience, people who know the political system,
:02:28. > :02:30.you know how to campaign who have got experience both in parliament
:02:31. > :02:33.and the assembly, the Welsh All that experience
:02:34. > :02:38.should be put to use. If he wins, he'll be up
:02:39. > :02:41.against the current Labour MP, Albert Owen, whose confirmed
:02:42. > :02:45.he is seeking re-election. He was in the seat two years ago
:02:46. > :02:50.with a majority of just 229. There is also likely to be a strong
:02:51. > :02:53.Conservative challenge. After all, this was a Tory
:02:54. > :02:57.seat in the 1980s when The BBC will publish
:02:58. > :03:02.a full list of candidates Big name or not, there's always
:03:03. > :03:06.the debate about whether people vote for parties or personalities
:03:07. > :03:10.in general elections. It's the parties behind their
:03:11. > :03:13.policies and what they represent and what they have to offer instead
:03:14. > :03:19.of just a name. It is going to be both but it
:03:20. > :03:23.depends on the strength I'm still thinking about it but it's
:03:24. > :03:37.probably going to be the party. The announcement by the Plaid's
:03:38. > :03:39.forma leader comes as the current leader, Leanne Wood,
:03:40. > :03:48.said she would not be leader, Leanne Wood, said
:03:49. > :03:50.she would not be fighting her seat Today the Liberal Democrats
:03:51. > :03:53.announced the former assembly member, Lynette Parrott,
:03:54. > :03:55.will stand in Cardiff Central against the current
:03:56. > :03:57.Labour MP, Jo Stephens. This is a top target
:03:58. > :03:59.seat for the Lib Dems Expect many more names
:04:00. > :04:05.to emerge in the coming days. The parties have set procedures
:04:06. > :04:07.in place to choose candidates but everything has been shunted
:04:08. > :04:10.forward because in a short campaign, Also in a short campaign,
:04:11. > :04:14.there is no time to build up a profile and that's why
:04:15. > :04:19.the parties, if they can will try to select those
:04:20. > :04:22.who are already recognised names. One leading academic says there's
:04:23. > :04:25.a big scramble going on behind the scenes as no one was expecting
:04:26. > :04:28.having to find candidates for a number of years and now it has
:04:29. > :04:35.to be done within a matter of days. Often parties will take weeks,
:04:36. > :04:39.if not months to select a candidate. There will be a whole process
:04:40. > :04:42.involving meetings in different parts of the constituencies
:04:43. > :04:47.and discussions and A lot of it will have to go
:04:48. > :04:53.by the board because parties have to have people in place soon
:04:54. > :04:58.and ready to fight the election and if that means short-circuiting
:04:59. > :05:00.some of the normal mechanisms. There's a growing sense of urgency
:05:01. > :05:03.surrounding the elections. Every day without a candidate
:05:04. > :05:06.will be considered a wasted day Nick - a poll out tonight suggesting
:05:07. > :05:19.voting intentions in Wales - polls do come with a health warning
:05:20. > :05:33.but it is interesting. These are the results. The
:05:34. > :05:38.Conservatives -- conservatives are at 41%, Labour at 30%, Plaid Cymru
:05:39. > :05:56.Bill at 8% and Lib Dems, 6%. Professor Roger, a respected figure,
:05:57. > :06:01.is talking about us being on the brink of an electoral earthquake. If
:06:02. > :06:06.this is projected to the number of seats in Wales in the general
:06:07. > :06:11.election, this poll has predicted the Conservatives, 21. From Labour,
:06:12. > :06:17.15 in Wales. Plaid Cymru, three. Lib Dems, one. This is one pole and we
:06:18. > :06:25.have an entire general election campaign ahead. It is dangerous in a
:06:26. > :06:29.way, this projection. There is all sorts of local factors and
:06:30. > :06:34.personalities to take into account. We should say bees are sensational
:06:35. > :06:39.predictions and as such, they will create a lot of noise and I think we
:06:40. > :06:40.will form a dramatic backdrop to the campaign in Wales over the coming
:06:41. > :06:43.weeks. The parents of a 14-year-old boy
:06:44. > :06:45.from Burry Port have told this programme it's totally
:06:46. > :06:47.unacceptable their son has had to wait two and a half years
:06:48. > :06:51.for a kidney operation. Ethan Matthews was told in 2014
:06:52. > :06:53.he needed to have his left kidney removed
:06:54. > :06:58.because it wasn't working. But he's still waiting
:06:59. > :07:00.for the operation and says without it,
:07:01. > :07:03.he can't live a normal life. The family have been speaking
:07:04. > :07:16.to our reporter Aled Scourfield. Playing his favourite game. Ethan
:07:17. > :07:21.looks like any typical 14-year-old. But he can do the things most of the
:07:22. > :07:26.teenagers do because one of his kidneys isn't working. It has been
:07:27. > :07:32.really hard to cope in doing certain things. I'm limited to doing what I
:07:33. > :07:36.want and what I choose. His problems started when a lump appeared on his
:07:37. > :07:41.left side three years ago. A cheaper to be put into drain it and he was
:07:42. > :07:45.left with a tract that wouldn't heal. He was told his left kidney
:07:46. > :07:49.was known on the functioning and he needed to have it removed. Despite
:07:50. > :07:53.being put on an urgent waiting list com here still waiting to have this
:07:54. > :07:59.operation at the University Hospital of Wales in Cardiff. He has to take
:08:00. > :08:03.antibiotics on a daily basis and have his dressings changed two or
:08:04. > :08:08.three times a week. It shouldn't have taken this long. He was given a
:08:09. > :08:14.date in January but the operation was cancelled after he caught and
:08:15. > :08:18.affection. His parents have failed -- have complained about the delay.
:08:19. > :08:26.They told me it has had a major impact on their son's life. He is
:08:27. > :08:31.restricted in what he can do. We can't go to the local swimming pool
:08:32. > :08:37.because of the risk of infection on his side. Contact sports, is not
:08:38. > :08:43.allowed to perform in. Do you think two and a half years is too long to
:08:44. > :08:50.wait? It is unacceptable for any child. The latest figures show there
:08:51. > :08:55.can be a delay for some. 77% of children start treatment within 26
:08:56. > :09:07.weeks. The Welsh government target is 595% to be treated. 13 per seat
:09:08. > :09:12.-- percent... This doctor is retired with 30 years experience and says
:09:13. > :09:17.the delay in even's treatment is unacceptable. This is very bad and
:09:18. > :09:20.if the University Hospital of Wales cannot deliver the service, then
:09:21. > :09:28.they should look for the service somewhere else. The money from
:09:29. > :09:32.carrying out this procedure should come out of the University Hospital
:09:33. > :09:46.of Wales' bank account. A spokesperson said...
:09:47. > :09:50.For Ethan come his operation can't come soon enough so he can get on
:09:51. > :09:52.with the rest of his life. A patient with a serious
:09:53. > :09:54.mental health condition and complex medical needs,
:09:55. > :09:58.has been waiting to be discharged from hospital
:09:59. > :10:00.in the Hywel Dda Health Board area The patient is expected to leave
:10:01. > :10:04.hospital in around six months, after arrangements were made
:10:05. > :10:06.for their care. The Welsh Government says
:10:07. > :10:09.delayed transfers of care are at their lowest level
:10:10. > :10:13.for 12 years. Long-haul flights from Cardiff
:10:14. > :10:16.to the Middle East have been Planes will start flying to Doha,
:10:17. > :10:22.Quatar's capital, from 2018. Cardiff airport saw a 16% increase
:10:23. > :10:28.in passenger numbers last year. The sky above the Brecon Beacons
:10:29. > :10:31.National Park is considered some of the darkest in the UK,
:10:32. > :10:34.but there are concerns that new streetlights are too bright
:10:35. > :10:37.and damaging its reputation The international body which granted
:10:38. > :10:43.the area the prestigious dark-sky status in 2013,
:10:44. > :10:44.says it's investigating after the lights were put
:10:45. > :11:02.in by the Welsh Government. Whether it views of the Milky Way,
:11:03. > :11:06.the major consolations or even meteor showers. The sky brew of the
:11:07. > :11:10.Brecon Beacons is considered one of the best. It is one of a handful of
:11:11. > :11:15.dark sky reserves in the world, which means extra effort should be
:11:16. > :11:22.made to prevent like pollution so there are distant galaxies can be
:11:23. > :11:26.seen. Here we are in Wales and viewing the night sky from a place
:11:27. > :11:32.like this is different from doing it in a town centre. The Brecon Beacons
:11:33. > :11:36.has become a tourist destination for experts as well as amateurs. These
:11:37. > :11:42.are not the bright lights they are hoping to find. A row of
:11:43. > :11:47.streetlights next to a dedicated cam for astronomy enthusiasts were twice
:11:48. > :11:53.a year, 120 people come to enjoy the dark skies. This year has been a
:11:54. > :11:58.disappointment. It is like daylight down there. We can see our shadows
:11:59. > :12:03.whereas before we had to move around the camp with torches. It is more
:12:04. > :12:11.widespread. We discovered last night that the sky is glowing. We can see
:12:12. > :12:18.several places. Brecon Beacons is glowing under the sky. The Welsh
:12:19. > :12:22.government installed the lights as part of another great. To the
:12:23. > :12:26.surprise of the National Park authority. The Welsh Goodman says
:12:27. > :12:32.the streetlights or for road safety. It says they are greener than the
:12:33. > :12:36.old streetlights. These are LED lights and said it never wanted to
:12:37. > :12:41.affect the environment but will consider dimming the lights if there
:12:42. > :12:45.is no impact on safety. The International Dark Skies Association
:12:46. > :12:49.which gave the pocket special status says it is concerned about these
:12:50. > :12:55.developments. It says the lights are not consistent with the Brecon
:12:56. > :13:00.Beacons' commitment to preservation or the organisation's guidelines. It
:13:01. > :13:04.is too early to see if their status is in jeopardy. It seems everyone
:13:05. > :13:09.wants to work together to find a solution but the camp may not be
:13:10. > :13:12.back and will -- and will now keep it I on the situation as close -- as
:13:13. > :13:14.well as the sky. Much more to come
:13:15. > :13:15.before seven o'clock. It's quite a climb -
:13:16. > :13:18.why conservationists want to buy this 300 acres of windswept
:13:19. > :13:19.Welsh mountain. And he hasn't even got a coach -
:13:20. > :13:22.the amateur runner who's taken the athletics world by storm
:13:23. > :13:25.recording the fastest British time With the political agenda dominated
:13:26. > :13:36.by the General Election, you'd be forgiven for forgetting
:13:37. > :13:39.that in ten days, we will be voting for who represents us
:13:40. > :13:44.on councils across Wales. There are 22 local authorities
:13:45. > :13:46.in Wales with more than 1,200 The areas in which they have
:13:47. > :13:50.responsibility include schools, social care, refuse and recycling
:13:51. > :13:59.and setting council tax rates. They also include some
:14:00. > :14:02.services for young people. Tonight, there's a call
:14:03. > :14:04.for more help to be given to Voluntary Youth Services,
:14:05. > :14:06.with a warning that almost a third of the providers
:14:07. > :14:33.are worried they survive Earlier this year there are youth
:14:34. > :14:41.club sessions here which stopped. The youth workers came out here.
:14:42. > :14:45.Even if it is a bigger family. If there is nothing fun to do, they go
:14:46. > :14:50.to mountains and do fires and get in trouble with the police. The company
:14:51. > :14:54.providing the youth workers said it didn't cut its budget but in the
:14:55. > :14:57.long term, it felt it simply couldn't provide a quality service
:14:58. > :15:03.by only being open a few hours a week. It is not doing what it was
:15:04. > :15:07.meant to do. Youth workers more than a few activities to distract young
:15:08. > :15:12.people. It is about engaging with young people and dealing with
:15:13. > :15:15.complex issues that they have. The council says it is working to
:15:16. > :15:19.deliver services here and the Welsh government is working on a new
:15:20. > :15:25.national plan. There is concern that many good voluntary youth services
:15:26. > :15:30.will be lost in the meantime. Dozens of these organisations would be
:15:31. > :15:34.around. That could be the case. They will be struggling and some won't
:15:35. > :15:37.survive at all. Committee development projects are being
:15:38. > :15:41.constructed and there are ways we can work with the private sector in
:15:42. > :15:47.relation to collaborating with them to see the benefits in the
:15:48. > :15:57.communities. Open doors at this centre for young people. Weekdays,
:15:58. > :16:02.12 till four. They can come in, play snooker, look for jobs. I was a very
:16:03. > :16:08.annoying young person and everyone helped me and I progressed.
:16:09. > :16:12.Providing practical, vocational courses here brings in money from
:16:13. > :16:17.employment and education budgets. It means they are in a good position to
:16:18. > :16:20.provide other important services. The most important thing is when you
:16:21. > :16:28.see them getting a job. They didn't think they were worth it. Why would
:16:29. > :16:34.they pick me over anyone else? Could this work everywhere? It would be
:16:35. > :16:39.difficult for smaller places because of resources. It can be done but it
:16:40. > :16:44.takes a lot of driven people. Councils don't have to provide youth
:16:45. > :16:49.services. Very little of this centre's budget comes from council
:16:50. > :16:51.grants but they are expanding here providing continuity where other
:16:52. > :16:53.services are shrinking. How many others are in a position to do
:16:54. > :16:55.something similar? Tomorrow we're looking at the impact
:16:56. > :16:59.of funding cuts on leisure services. And for more information on the
:17:00. > :17:02.Council Elections where you live - Two environmental charities have
:17:03. > :17:07.joined forces to try and buy a windswept Welsh mountain and turn
:17:08. > :17:10.it into a haven for rare wildlife. 300 acres, formerly used to graze
:17:11. > :17:19.sheep, is up for sale The charities say it's
:17:20. > :17:22.an unique opportunity to experiment with a different
:17:23. > :17:24.approach to conservation. Our Environment Correspondent
:17:25. > :17:36.Steffan Messenger reports. Rugged and remote. If you want to
:17:37. > :17:42.get away from it all, there is no better place to head to damn mid
:17:43. > :17:50.Wales' Cumbrian Mountains. It is not every day a 300 acre patch of land
:17:51. > :17:55.comes at the sale here. This is Cefn Coch south of Machynlleth. A slice
:17:56. > :18:00.of mountain side up for grabs and a unique opportunity for a partnership
:18:01. > :18:04.of conservation charities. It has been a few years since this land has
:18:05. > :18:10.been grazed. We can see that in terms of these little birch trees
:18:11. > :18:14.here and there is Willows around as well. The plan is to plant 5000
:18:15. > :18:19.native trees at the top of the rich and then let nature take its course.
:18:20. > :18:25.It is a different approach to what the Woodland Trust might have done
:18:26. > :18:30.in the past. To use natural processes to recreate, to restore
:18:31. > :18:34.landscape. We hope to do something special here. The project is the
:18:35. > :18:38.first part of the plan to establish a network of wild woodland across
:18:39. > :18:43.the Cumbrian Mountains. But the idea of re-wilding our landscapes is
:18:44. > :18:48.controversial with some worried about the impact it could have on
:18:49. > :18:54.them. We facing Brexit and there is the future of Welsh farming. Are not
:18:55. > :19:00.suggesting the approaches something we imagine the whole of the Welsh
:19:01. > :19:05.uplands being detained. This is one area we can try out something
:19:06. > :19:10.different. An anonymous donor has pledged ?200,000 to help the charity
:19:11. > :19:18.by the site. They need to raise a further. Why does it matter? It is
:19:19. > :19:25.an issue hotly debated by a host of different environmental
:19:26. > :19:30.organisations. Lots of why don't -- biodiversity. The natural world
:19:31. > :19:32.around us. It is happening at an alarming rate, so protecting
:19:33. > :19:40.landscapes like these should be a priority. Over time, the hope is
:19:41. > :19:48.Kevin's Wildwood land could attract rare animals and birds. The public
:19:49. > :19:52.would also be welcome to walk and cycle. A boost to the local economy,
:19:53. > :19:57.the charity says. They have until the end of May to raise enough cash
:19:58. > :19:58.to turn their dream of a wildlife haven on this remote mountainside
:19:59. > :19:59.into a reality. Let's get tonight's Sport
:20:00. > :20:01.now, here's Claire. It's been a weekend one running club
:20:02. > :20:05.in Swansea won't forget. Two members of the Swansea Harriers
:20:06. > :20:07.grabbed all the headlines Matthew Rees, has been praised
:20:08. > :20:18.for helping a struggling His club has tonight offered
:20:19. > :20:21.to pay Matthew's expenses for next years marathon
:20:22. > :20:23.and Josh Griffiths stunned the athletics world
:20:24. > :20:25.by finishing as the fastest Brit. As Tomos Dafydd reports,
:20:26. > :20:39.he's now secured a place The moment Josh Griffiths realised
:20:40. > :20:42.what he had achieved. Without a job, coach or any experience of running
:20:43. > :20:48.marathons, Josh produced the unexpected. Back home tonight, the
:20:49. > :20:53.23-year-old reflected with his father on an unforgettable 24 hours.
:20:54. > :20:59.It is crazy and still hasn't sunk in. My phone is buzzing nonstop.
:21:00. > :21:05.Can't reply to everyone yet. It has gone crazy. One proud dad. Nick, you
:21:06. > :21:12.are following his progress every step of the way. By the time he got
:21:13. > :21:17.to my late team, he pulled away and looked full of running. I was
:21:18. > :21:22.getting quite excited. It was a mad -- to get two mile 25 but when I got
:21:23. > :21:27.there, I didn't expect him to be as far ahead as he was. You have made
:21:28. > :21:33.it to the World Championships in August. You haven't got a coach at
:21:34. > :21:39.the moment. I think I will be doing what I have been doing because it
:21:40. > :21:44.has worked so far. He was 13th overall and beat many of the elite
:21:45. > :21:48.field. He finished the race within the World Championship qualifying
:21:49. > :21:52.time. He wasn't the only one from the Swansea Harriers that shone
:21:53. > :21:56.yesterday. At 26 miles and with the finishing line in sight, Matthew
:21:57. > :22:02.Rees sacrificed his own race to help a stranger. When someone is in need,
:22:03. > :22:10.you want to help them out and it was important he had got to the finish
:22:11. > :22:16.line with 200 metres left. I was shouting in his ear saying, "Come
:22:17. > :22:22.on, come on, you can do this. I will stay with you." Maybe I was
:22:23. > :22:27.overzealous with his support. The man who helped pay tribute to the
:22:28. > :22:33.spirit and generosity which he says is typical of the running community.
:22:34. > :22:40.Matthew was clear in knowing that if he leaves me, they will whisk me
:22:41. > :22:45.off. That is so nice Andy is -- he is such a gentleman for doing that.
:22:46. > :22:49.Matthew Ed Davey say they will race together. It is a friendship forged
:22:50. > :22:50.in front of millions. One of the enduring images of this year's
:22:51. > :22:53.marathon. Football and Swansea City have
:22:54. > :22:55.just four games left Head Coach Paul Clement
:22:56. > :22:59.says their 2-0 win over Stoke at the weekend shows they still have
:23:00. > :23:02.plenty of fight in them, as they prepare for their next match
:23:03. > :23:04.against Manchester United. Rivals Hull also won and remain two
:23:05. > :23:16.points above them in the table. If they had won and we hadn't earned
:23:17. > :23:22.it had gone to five points with four games left. It would have been
:23:23. > :23:26.difficult for us. The big test is at Manchester United. We have our
:23:27. > :23:32.confidence back. We have won the game. The nature of the way we won
:23:33. > :23:40.the game also. Ebook County's remarkable revival continues. A 1-0
:23:41. > :23:45.win over Accrington saw them climb out of the drop zone. If they can
:23:46. > :23:49.beat Carlisle this weekend and Hartlepool lose, their football
:23:50. > :23:53.league status will be secured. Sheffield United set to release --
:23:54. > :23:59.re-signed Chad Evans from Chesterfield. He last played in 2012
:24:00. > :24:05.before a rape conviction saw him serve two and half years in prison.
:24:06. > :24:10.That conviction was quashed and at a retrial, he was found not guilty. At
:24:11. > :24:16.cricket, Glamorgan have drawn their latest match away to Leicestershire.
:24:17. > :24:22.The home side declared on 360-6 and set the Welsh county an unlikely
:24:23. > :24:27.target of 355 the victory. Glamorgan managed to hold out finishing 144-4.
:24:28. > :24:41.It was turning colder for the first part of this week with wintry
:24:42. > :24:45.showers the sum and sunny spells. We have a cold front sinking
:24:46. > :24:50.southwards. Winds turn more northerly introducing arctic air.
:24:51. > :24:59.Tonight will be called with clear spells and a widespread frost
:25:00. > :25:03.forming. Potential for snow in the hills. Overnight temperatures
:25:04. > :25:07.hovering above freezing for most of Wales. Tomorrow, a frosty stop the
:25:08. > :25:14.sun. Plenty of sunshine and it is a mix of sunny spells and scattered
:25:15. > :25:21.wintry shower. It is unstable so a risk of Halo and thunder. The
:25:22. > :25:27.showers will be hit and miss. Tim -- temperatures around nine Celsius up
:25:28. > :25:34.to 11 Celsius. Tomorrow night, the showers Peter out but we keep the
:25:35. > :25:38.arctic air. A frosty is likely. On Wednesday, some early frost and
:25:39. > :25:42.feeling chilly with some sunshine and further showers. It could be
:25:43. > :25:49.wintry in the hills and fresh northerly winds. Highs of eight to
:25:50. > :25:57.11 Celsius. By the end of the week we have milder air. On Thursday and
:25:58. > :26:01.Friday, less cold and fewer showers. Some bright spells and for the bank
:26:02. > :26:06.holiday weekends, it should start largely dry but likely to be some
:26:07. > :26:11.rain over the weekend. A called a feel of the next few days. Snow is
:26:12. > :26:17.likely to be confined to the hills. It is not unusual at this time of
:26:18. > :26:20.year. This picture was taken in April 19 81. If you would like to
:26:21. > :26:31.become a weather watcher, you can sign up and up late -- upload
:26:32. > :26:32.pictures on this website. That is it from all of us on the