Sion Morgan

Parc Astérix near Paris is presented as an underrated alternative to Disneyland Paris and major UK theme parks such as Alton Towers and Thorpe Park. The review highlights its more than 50 attractions and shows, themed zones, family and high-thrill rides, on-site hotels, character dining, shorter queues and new 2026 Egypt-zone developments and nighttime entertainment. The park is praised for its variety, safety, shaded areas and French atmosphere, although limited English-language menus and French-only shows are noted as drawbacks. A two-night, three-day family stay is advertised from £700, with Eurostar fares from £39 each way.

Mollie Hooper describes the shock of losing her 21-year-old brother Tom to suicide in 2024 and the practical and emotional support her family received from the NHS Postvention Service, her university and the local farming community. Sharing her experience through the Farming Fit campaign, she highlights the pressures and stigma affecting rural communities—particularly young men—and urges people to seek help before reaching crisis point. Support is available through Powys services, the DPJ Foundation and Samaritans.

Sophia Warner describes entering foster care as a child after experiencing violence, parental alcoholism and her mother’s poor mental health. Although being placed in care gave her safety and stability, separation from her siblings and being moved far from them caused lasting distress. Now a Foster Wales ambassador, Warner praises improvements including efforts to keep children near their local areas and the Big Welcome portal, which introduces children to prospective foster families before placement. She credits her foster families with supporting her education and confidence and now works with children while pursuing illustration.

Hundreds of schools across Wales are fully or partially closed on Wednesday, June 24, and in many cases Thursday, after the Met Office issued a red warning for extreme heat with temperatures forecast to reach 39C. Closures are particularly widespread in South Wales, including Bridgend, Caerphilly, Blaenau Gwent, Newport, Torfaen, Merthyr Tydfil and Neath Port Talbot. Other schools are shortening the day, relaxing uniform rules, reducing outdoor activity, providing extra water or cold lunches, and reviewing conditions locally. Several councils, including Ceredigion, Flintshire, Gwynedd, Anglesey and Pembrokeshire, have left decisions to individual headteachers and governing bodies under Welsh Government guidance.

Seasonal dog restrictions will apply at beaches across Wales from May 1 through September 30, 2026. The article lists affected beaches by local authority, including full and partial bans, designated dog-exercise areas, and lead requirements on some promenades. Guide dogs are exempt, and restrictions will be lifted on October 1.

Personal Independence Payment rates will rise from April 2026 in line with inflation. Claimants receiving the enhanced rates for both daily living and mobility could receive £194.60 per week, or £843.26 per month, an annual increase of £375.20. The existing PIP system remains in operation for now, but Labour has pledged to reduce illness and incapacity benefit spending by £5 billion and is considering stricter, points-based eligibility rules later in the year.

Penscynor Wildlife Park in Cilfrew, Neath Valley, grew from Idris Hale’s private bird collection into one of Wales’s biggest attractions, drawing up to 250,000 visitors annually and becoming a popular destination for school trips. It housed numerous species, employed up to 150 seasonal workers and developed an internationally recognised breeding programme. Mounting losses, rising animal-care costs and weather-dependent visitor numbers led Jon Quant to close the park after attempts to restore its finances failed. Nearly 2,000 animals were relocated, including chimpanzees sent to a nearby sanctuary, while the former park site has since become derelict and overgrown. The attraction remains a powerful source of nostalgia for generations of Welsh visitors.

The article explores the historical and linguistic origins of names across Welsh villages, towns and regions, drawing chiefly on John Moss's book Celtic Places and Place Names. It explains how names such as Aberaeron, Brecon, Carmarthen, Llanelli, Merthyr Tydfil and Wrexham reflect rivers, landscapes, religious settlements, ancient rulers, saints, Celtic mythology and historical communities. Several names have competing interpretations, illustrating the complexity of Welsh and wider Celtic place-name development.

A collection of 28 lesser-known episodes and statistics from Welsh history covers Roman and Viking attacks, slavery, the development and survival of the Welsh language, religious movements, migration, drinking culture, banking crises, poverty, industrialization, railways, antisemitic attacks, unemployment and Labour's mid-20th-century political dominance. Drawing largely on historian John Davies's work, the piece highlights Wales's complex social, linguistic and economic development from prehistoric times through the 20th century.

Leeks are worn on St David’s Day because they are a longstanding national symbol of Wales. Tradition holds that St David instructed Welsh soldiers to wear leeks during a sixth-century battle against the Saxons, while Welsh archers are also believed to have fought in a leek field at the Battle of Crécy in 1346. The vegetable was already associated with the saint by the Tudor period, and historians have suggested it may have influenced the Tudors’ green-and-white colours.

Spencer Rothwell-Poole, 22, was killed in Bolton in December 2024 when Cormac Sale, driving erratically on the wrong side of Chorley Old Road and nearly ten times over the legal ketamine limit, collided with him. Sale pleaded guilty to causing death by dangerous driving and was sentenced at Bolton Crown Court to 10 years and eight months in prison. Spencer’s father Derek and brother Josh described his difficult childhood, autism diagnosis, love of motorbikes and the devastating impact of his death. Greater Manchester Police said the sentence reflected the consequences of drug-impaired and reckless driving.

Six planets—Mercury, Venus, Jupiter, Saturn, Uranus and Neptune—are expected to appear above the horizon simultaneously on February 28, creating an uncommon planetary parade visible from Wales. The best viewing opportunity is shortly after dusk, once darkness has fallen, with a clear, unobstructed view toward the western horizon. Venus and Jupiter should be visible without equipment, while Uranus and Neptune will require a telescope.

Two beaches popular with British tourists have been closed ahead of Easter after water contamination was detected. Playa Blanca’s small beach in Lanzarote was shut for 48 hours following elevated levels of intestinal enterococci, while Platja Petita in Cala Millor, Majorca, was closed for two to three days after a faulty pump caused a sewage spill. The incidents come amid a reported doubling of faecal-contamination cases in the Balearic Islands in 2025, although 70% of the region’s beaches still achieved an excellent water-quality rating. The Marilles Foundation is calling for stricter monitoring of beach and boat numbers, with a €4 million sensor project planned for 150 beaches.

Illegal reflective, cloned and so-called 3D or 4D “ghost” number plates are enabling motorists to evade speed, bus lane and low-emission-zone enforcement cameras. Former national ANPR chief Fraser Sampson warned Transport Secretary Mark Harper that the system’s approximately 97% recognition rate could produce around 2.4 million misreadings daily and remains vulnerable to readily available anti-ANPR products. Councils are responding with new cameras capable of detecting the plates, and offenders may face fines of up to £100.

Swansea Grand Theatre's production of Aladdin is praised as a colourful, highly comic and family-friendly pantomime featuring strong performances, bright musical numbers and impressive digital scenery. Joe Pasquale leads the comedy as Frankie Makey, with Kev Johns, Andrew Fleming, Celyn Cartwright, JG Daniels-White and Freya Humberstone also singled out for praise. An unexpected cameo by an unnamed prominent Welsh actor playing the genie is described as the production's showstopper. The production runs until 4 January.

An Aldi shopper was shocked to find a 700g tin of Cadbury Heroes priced at £11.99. The article compares this with higher prices at Tesco, Sainsbury’s and Morrisons, while noting discounts through loyalty schemes and a lower-priced 550g tub at Aldi. Shoppers criticize rising chocolate prices and smaller product sizes, with some recommending supermarket own-brand alternatives, including a larger Marks & Spencer tin. Aldi and Cadbury were approached for comment.

Universal Credit payments will rise by 6.2% from April 2026, combining a 3.8% inflation-linked increase with an additional 2.3% uplift required under the Universal Credit Act 2025. Single claimants are expected to receive about £6 more per week, or £312 more annually. The law requires above-inflation increases to the standard allowance through 2029–30.

Culinary expert Georgina Hartley recommends gently baking potatoes in cream, milk, garlic and herbs instead of boiling them in water. The potatoes are then drained, roughed up and roasted in hot olive oil, a process intended to produce a fluffy, creamy interior and crisp, golden exterior. The recipe includes cooking instructions, timings and ingredients for a 1.5kg batch.

Motability is immediately removing BMW, Mercedes-Benz, Audi, Lexus and Alfa Romeo vehicles from its taxpayer-subsidised car scheme for disabled people, arguing that it must prioritize vehicles that meet customers' needs and offer better value. The change may force thousands of current users to choose different brands when replacing their cars, although BMW says it will fulfil existing orders and Mini remains available. The overhaul follows concerns from Chancellor Rachel Reeves about premium vehicles, rising scheme costs and increased demand, with Motability receiving a record £2.8 billion in taxpayer funding last year. Motability says it operates 815,000 vehicles and aims for half its fleet to be British-made by 2035.

Rachel Reeves has extended the temporary 5p-per-litre fuel-duty cut until September 2026, after which it will be phased out and fuel duty will rise annually with inflation from April 2027. From April 2028, battery-electric cars will face a 3p-per-mile tax and plug-in hybrids a 1.5p-per-mile charge, indexed to inflation. The Office for Budget Responsibility estimates the policy could reduce electric-vehicle sales by about 440,000, while motoring and EV-sector representatives warn that it creates uncertainty, raises ownership costs and sends a negative signal about the transition to electric vehicles.

Haverfordwest’s Western Quayside is being redeveloped to address town-centre dereliction and bring activity back to the riverside. Harbwr Tenby Harbour Brewery has taken over an adjacent building to create a food emporium, restaurant, bar and rooftop terrace, while the upper floors may become an innovation and co-working hub. Pembrokeshire County Council is also marketing vacant properties, including the former Wilko building, and has funded extensive shopfront improvements across the county.

The UK Government says household energy bills will fall by around £150 on average from April 2026 by ending the bill-funded Energy Company Obligation and covering 75% of the domestic cost of the legacy Renewables Obligation for three years. The Warm Home Discount will also be extended to 3 million additional low-income households. Treasury minister James Murray and Energy Secretary Ed Miliband presented the measures as support for families facing the cost-of-living crisis and part of a longer-term clean-power strategy, while Martin Lewis estimated the change could reduce unit rates by roughly 3–4 pence but said it should apply to all bills. Wales is due to receive £505 million in additional funding through the Budget’s Barnett consequentials.

Gardening expert Simon Perry recommends seven tasks before winter: mulching beds, planting spring bulbs, feeding birds, checking and repairing garden structures, adding evergreen and winter-flowering plants, cleaning decks and patios, and planning next year's garden. The measures are intended to protect plants and wildlife, prevent winter damage and keep gardens healthy and attractive through the coldest months.