We will also be keeping you informed of major news stories from the UK and overseas. Contribute to the live blog by posting your comments below, or tweet us @WalesOnline to share the news that’s breaking in your area.
Ruth Mosalski
A holiday which changed a man’s life
In May 2007, Jonathan Hobbs had a lot to be happy about. The 22-year-old was a trainee quantity surveyor and a keen rugby player for his local team, Pontyclun RFC.
Described as “one of the boys” he was on one of his first holidays abroad with his group of friends in Magaluf, Spain when, on the first morning, he went for a swim. “I woke up and went straight to the pool,” he said. “I hadn’t gone to the induction where they told us not to dive in the shallow end of the pool.”
He dived in, but had suffered a huge injury and had to be pulled to safety by his friends. Read more here.
Reem Ahmed
Strong winds on A55 Britannia Bridge
According to traffic monitoring service Inrix, there are strong winds on the A55 Britannia Bridge in Anglesey between Junction 9 A487 (Treborth) and Junction 8 A5 (Llanfair P.G.). The matrix sign set to 30 mph and there are restrictions in place for bicycles, motorbikes, and caravans.
Reem Ahmed
Police at scene of collision in Rhondda village
Police are at the scene of a collision in Pentre, Rhondda. South Wales Police said in a statement posted just after 3pm on X: “We are at the scene of a collision on Tyisaf Road, Pentre. The junction with Gelli Industrial Estate is currently closed and is expected to remain closed for some time. Motorists are advised to avoid the area and use alternative routes where possible.”
Meanwhile traffic monnitoring service Inirx said Tyisaf Road is closed in both directions and there is stationary traffic.
Reem Ahmed
Greta Thunberg detained during protest that blocked road
Climate activist Greta Thunberg was among dozens of people detained by police in The Hague as they removed protesters who were partially blocking a road in the Dutch city. Ms Thunberg was seen flashing a victory sign as she sat in a bus used by police to take detained demonstrators from the scene of a protest against Dutch subsidies and tax breaks to companies linked to fossil fuel industries.
The Extinction Rebellion campaign group said before the demonstration that the activists would block a main road into The Hague, but a heavy police presence, including officers on horseback, initially prevented the activists from getting on to the road. A small group of people managed to sit down on another road and were detained after ignoring police orders to leave.
Read more here.
Reem Ahmed
Heathrow Airport incident as two passenger planes collide on runway
An incident unfolded at Heathrow Airport as two passenger planes collided on the runway, prompting an immediate response from emergency services. During a routine pushback at Terminal 3, a Virgin Atlantic aircraft’s wing was clipped by the tail of a stationary British Airways plane, according to witness accounts.
Photos circulating online showed emergency crews rushing to the site of the collision on the taxiway of the bustling west London airport. Virgin Atlantic confirmed that its Boeing 787-9 was not carrying any passengers at the time of the incident, reports the Mirror.
Read more here.
Reem Ahmed
‘Extreme’ scenes at A&E as patients face 15-hour wait at hospital
One of Wales’ largest emergency department currently has a 15-hour wait, with the health board urging patients with minor injuries to find treatment elsewhere. Swansea Bay University Health Board said on Saturday, April 6, that Morriston Hospital faces “extreme” pressures, with “very high numbers of patients who are extremely unwell”.
Read more here.
Reem Ahmed
Lorraine Kelly ‘cannot wait’ as she shares ‘exciting’ family news
Lorraine Kelly has said she “cannot wait to be a granny” after her daughter Rosie Smith announced she is pregnant. Smith, 29, is the only daughter of the Scottish TV presenter and husband Steve Smith.
She announced the news on Instagram with a picture showing her cradling a baby bump. Another image of a framed sonogram picture revealed Smith was at least 12 weeks pregnant, with writing underneath saying: “The bean at 12 weeks – the size of a fig”.
Read more here.
Reem Ahmed
Dozens of flights cancelled as Storm Kathleen hits UK
Dozens of flights have been grounded as Storm Kathleen hits the UK, bringing with it gusts of up to 70mph and the potential for this year’s highest temperatures yet. Around 70 flights to and from UK airports before midday on Saturday (April 6), have been cancelled following a yellow weather warning for wind from the Met Office.
The alert spans across the north west and south west of England, as well as parts of Northern Ireland, Scotland, and Wales, from from 8am until 10pm. Another yellow wind warning is in place for north-west Scotland on Sunday, lasting from 9am to 3pm.
Read more here.
Reem Ahmed
M48 Severn Bridge lane closed
One lane of the M48 Severn Bridge is closed in both directions due to strong winds, according to traffic monitoring service Inrix. It says it’s closed between Junction 2 A466 Wye Valley Link Road (Chepstow) and Junction 1 A403 (Aust) and the matrix sign is set to 40 mph.
It adds: “Down to one lane for safety in case vehicles get blown into adjacent lanes. At J1 and J2, everyone is coming off at the exit slip and back on via the entry slip – this is the normal restriction so the bridge can be closed quickly if cross winds get worse.”
Reem Ahmed
Rail strikes enter second day
Saturday, April 6, marks the second day of three-day industrial action at more than a dozen train operators. It is the latest in a series of “rolling” walk-outs by train drivers across the UK as a long-running dispute over pay and working conditions enters its 22nd month.
The previous national strike action by train drivers in the Aslef union lasted for nine days from January 29 to February 6. The planned early-April walk-out is underway, lasting from Friday, April 5 until Monday, April 8.
There is also a ban on overtime in the days before and after the strike – from Thursday, April 4 to Saturday, April 6 and Monday, April 8 to Tuesday, April 9. Click here for everything you need to know about how rail travel will be impacted over the next few days.
Reem Ahmed
Locals living in misery as tourists turn beauty spot into ‘mudbath’
Villagers in the picturesque Eryri (Snowdonia) community fear they are playing second fiddle to the influx of tourists flocking to ascend Wales’ highest peak, Yr Wyddfa (Snowdon). The Easter period saw the area’s roads jammed, private drives obstructed, and Nant Peris, nestled at the base of the mountain, turned into a “mudbath”.
The local bus service was hampered by haphazard parking, despite efforts to mitigate congestion with a park-and-ride system established in Nant Peris to alleviate the strain on the A4086 leading to Pen y Pass. However, during the Easter break, the park-and-ride was overwhelmed, and an additional overflow car park could not be utilised due to the wet ground conditions.
Read more here.
Reem Ahmed
List of DWP PIP payments as new rates mean more cash for recipients
The Department for Work and Pensions (DWP) is set to give a financial boost to thousands with the introduction of new Personal Independence Payments (PIP) rates this month. This marks the start of the new financial year, with hundreds of thousands of PIP claimants set to benefit.
Every April benefits such as these are adjusted in line with inflation, meaning recipients will see an increase in their payments. Depending on individual circumstances, PIP can provide up to £184 per week. It’s designed to assist those who struggle with daily tasks due to health conditions.
Read more here.
Reem Ahmed
World’s oldest man now lives in UK and says ‘it’s luck’
A 111-year-old man from England is now the world’s oldest living man – and said the secret to his longevity is “pure luck”. John Alfred Tinniswood was born in Liverpool on August 26, 1912 – the same year the Titanic sank – and is a great-grandfather currently residing at a care home in Southport, where staff describe him as “a big chatterbox”.
Mr Tinniswood’s exact age is 111 years 223 days as of April 5, according to Guinness World Records. 112-year-old Gisaburo Sonobe from Japan was initially expected to be the new record holder, but he was recently confirmed to have passed away on March 31.
Read more here.
Reem Ahmed
Bus service disrupted after police incident in Merthyr Tydfil
Swansea road in Merthyr Tydfil is blocked due to a police incident. Traffic monitoring service Inrix says: “A4102 Swansea Road in both directions blocked due to police incident from Old Winch Fawr Road to Beacon Heights.”
#Merthyr- Due to a police incident on Swansea Road, our service 23 is unable to serve Twyncarmel. The service will terminate in Gelli Deg estate. Please keep eye out for updates as the morning progress. Sorry for the inconvenience this will cause.
— Stagecoach South Wales (@StagecoachWales) April 6, 2024
Reem Ahmed
Met Office forecast for Saturday
The Met Office says it will be “very windy, with gales on Saturday” in Wales. Here is the full weather forecast for the country today:
A very windy day with severe gales likely in the west as a result of Storm Kathleen. Largely dry with sunny spells and the occasional shower. Warm in sheltered spots. Maximum temperature 17 °C.
And for tonight:
Staying very windy with gales, especially on coasts. Heavy rain arriving during the evening but moving through quickly with further heavy showers towards dawn. Minimum temperature 8 °C.
Reem Ahmed
Good morning
Welcome to the WalesOnline daily blog.
The breaking news team are here ready to bring you all the latest news, weather and travel from across the region.
Time to get started.
