Ketan Swali, aged 59, and Sheetal Swali, aged 55, were travelling in the aircraft when it came down in the hills above Trawsfynydd, close to Blaenau Ffestiniog, on Friday.

North Wales Police was alerted after the small aircraft, which had departed from an airfield in England, failed to arrive at Caernarfon Airport.

A major search operation involving air and ground teams was launched, with the wreckage eventually located on Friday afternoon in an isolated area of countryside.

The two occupants were tragically confirmed dead at the scene.

An inquest into the deaths of Mr and Mrs Swali is due to be opened at Caernarfon on Wednesday.

The circumstances surrounding the crash are being investigated by the relevant authorities.

The remote location of the crash presented significant challenges for the search and recovery operation, with emergency services working in difficult terrain.

Chris is described as being around 5ft 6in tall, with light brown hair.

He is believed to be wearing a black baseball cap, black puffer coat, grey trousers and grey trainers.

Police say Chris has links across North Wales, including Rhyl and Prestatyn, Wrexham and Holyhead, and are asking people in those areas to remain alert.

Anyone who believes they may have seen Chris, or who has information which could help officers establish where he is, is urged to get in touch with North Wales Police.

Information can be provided through the force's live webchat or by calling 101, quoting reference O132618.

Anyone who sees Chris is asked to contact police as soon as possible rather than approaching him if doing so could place them or anyone else at risk.

Police and Chris's family will be hoping that the appeal helps establish his whereabouts and allows him to return home safely.

Officers have been carrying out searches around the hospital and surrounding areas for several days as they try to establish Colin's whereabouts.

North Wales Police says specialist resources, including the force's Drone Unit and members of Mountain Rescue, have been assisting officers with the search.

Local officers are also carrying out house-to-house enquiries in the area.

Chief Inspector Wesley Williams is now making a particular appeal to residents living around the hospital estate to check their gardens, sheds, garages and other outbuildings.

He said: “Extensive searches of the areas surrounding Llandudno Hospital have been ongoing for several days, assisted by officers from the force's Drone Unit and colleagues from Mountain Rescue.”

He added: “These searches are continuing, and local officers are conducting house to house enquiries in the locality.”

Police are asking residents to check places that may not have been accessed recently, as Colin could potentially have sought shelter or entered an outbuilding.

Chief Inspector Williams said: “I would like to appeal to local residents of the 'hospital estate' to check any sheds and outbuildings on their properties to help us in our search to find Colin.”

The appeal comes as specialist teams continue to search areas around the hospital and the wider locality.

Police are asking anyone who has seen Colin since Thursday, August 13, or who has information that could help establish where he may be, to come forward.

Residents are also being asked to report anything they find during checks of their properties rather than assuming it is insignificant.

Anyone with information can contact North Wales Police through the force's live webchat or by calling 101, quoting reference O133575.

The search remains ongoing and officers are continuing to appeal for information which could help bring Colin home safely.

The three-year impact report from Sgiliau Bwyd a Diod Cymru / Food & Drink Skills Wales records support for 497 businesses and more than 1,400 people, with around 2,000 training interventions delivered.

More than 11,000 pupils have also been engaged through careers activity, as the programme seeks to encourage the next generation to consider jobs in food production, processing, engineering, marketing, sustainability and food science.

The figures are particularly relevant to North Wales, where a large number of food and drink businesses are small, independent or family-run enterprises.

Research commissioned by Ambition North Wales found that much of the region's food and drink business population is concentrated among micro and small and medium-sized enterprises. It identified particular strengths in North Wales' drinks sector, with food manufacturing also representing a relative regional strength.

The research, which examined the region's food system, highlighted opportunities to shorten supply chains, create jobs and stimulate investment by encouraging more local production and consumption.

That makes the survival and growth of independent producers important beyond the businesses themselves.

A local food producer can potentially support employment, buy ingredients and services from other local firms, supply shops, cafés, pubs and restaurants, and attract visitors looking for distinctive food and drink linked to the North Wales landscape and identity.

Keeping more of that spending within the region can help strengthen the wider local economy.

Welsh Government research describes food and drink as part of the country's foundational economy, with a particularly high proportion of very small businesses compared with the UK as a whole. A review of government food-sector schemes also highlighted the need for better pathways to sustainable growth for smaller businesses.

At a Wales-wide level, the scale of the industry is considerable. The latest Welsh Government economic appraisal covers turnover, employment, business numbers and exports across the sector, while Food & Drink Wales says around 170,000 people contribute to gross sales of £17.3 billion across the wider Welsh food and drink industry.

The North Wales picture is especially interesting because food and drink connects several important parts of the regional economy – from agriculture and fishing to manufacturing, hospitality, tourism, retail and distribution.

For independent businesses, however, finding and retaining skilled staff can be a significant challenge.

The Food & Drink Skills Wales programme is intended to address some of those pressures by providing tailored workforce development support. Eligible food and drink manufacturing and processing businesses can receive up to 80 per cent funding towards approved training, with Workforce Development Managers helping businesses identify skills gaps and development opportunities.

The programme has also delivered 750 Food & Drink Career Passports, supported more than 6,000 job advertisements through FoodDrinkJobs.Wales and involved 3,692 pupils in the Tasty Careers Schools Challenge.

Melanie Cargill, Programme Manager, said investment in skills could have a significant impact on both businesses and individuals, helping to develop a skilled, productive and resilient workforce.

Cabinet Minister for Rural Resilience and Sustainability Llyr Gruffydd said a skilled and adaptable workforce was essential to the continued success of Wales' food and drink industry.

For North Wales, the issue goes beyond filling vacancies.

The region's independent food and drink businesses are part of what gives its towns and rural communities their individual character. From artisan producers and bakeries to breweries, farm-based businesses and specialist manufacturers, they can provide products that are difficult for large national companies to replicate.

They can also play an important role in the growing interest in local and regional food supply chains.

The North Wales food systems research specifically identified strengthening local and regional supply chains as an opportunity for economic growth, sustainability and resilience.

Welsh Government's Food & Drink Wales programme similarly promotes local and Welsh-branded products and identifies stronger business and supply-chain networks as one of its priorities.

The challenge now is ensuring that independent businesses can benefit from those opportunities while dealing with rising costs, recruitment pressures, changing consumer habits and the demands of competing for space in increasingly competitive markets.

The new skills report suggests that investment in people could be one important part of the answer.

For North Wales, supporting the next generation of food and drink workers could ultimately mean more than creating individual career opportunities. It could help ensure that the independent businesses which contribute to the region's economy, communities and identity have the skills and resilience needed to survive and grow.

Janet Finch-Saunders MS, who represents Bangor, Conwy and Môn, has written to Conwy Council Leader Councillor Julie Fallon calling for urgent action to prevent the school from closing.

But Cllr Fallon has told her that she will not intervene to overturn the Cabinet's decision, saying the cost of educating each pupil at the school is unsustainable.

She said: “The cost per pupil is the second highest in the whole of Wales and is unsustainable. Education will work with families to ensure their transition, when the time comes, will be as smooth as possible.”

The dispute comes after a lengthy consultation and statutory process which has examined the future of Ysgol Betws-y-Coed alongside another rural school, Ysgol Ysbyty Ifan.

The council's case is primarily based on falling pupil numbers, the amount of unused capacity and the cost of maintaining the school.

Ysgol Betws-y-Coed has capacity for 100 pupils, but only had 14 registered pupils in January 2025. Council projections put the number at 13 in 2026, rising only gradually to 18 by 2030. That would leave the school operating at between 13% and 18% of its capacity.

The longer-term figures show the scale of the change. The school had 36 pupils in 2017, 29 in 2022, 25 in 2023, 18 in 2024 and 14 in 2025.

Conwy says the issue is therefore not simply a temporary dip in numbers but a sustained pattern of low enrolment.

The council's consultation document also points to the financial implications. The school's 2025/26 revenue allocation was £250,277, equating to £20,856 per pupil, compared with an average of £5,148 for primary pupils across Conwy. The council's figures ranked it as the highest-cost primary school in Conwy and the second-highest in Wales in 2025/26.

That is the figure behind the Council Leader's claim that the current arrangement is financially unsustainable.

The council says it has a responsibility to make the best use of its education budget, particularly at a time when public finances are under pressure and money spent maintaining a school with very low numbers cannot be spent elsewhere.

Conwy's consultation document says the authority has been reviewing pupil numbers, equality of funding and the condition and suitability of school buildings across the county.

It also acknowledges that Welsh Government guidance does not mean a school should automatically be closed simply because it has surplus places.

Alternatives such as collaboration, federation, clustering with other schools, co-location of services and using school buildings as community resources are specifically identified in the School Organisation Code as options that can be considered.

Ysgol Betws-y-Coed has already been part of a formal federation with Ysgol Dolwyddelan and Ysgol Capel Garmon since 2016, sharing a headteacher and governing body.

The council nevertheless concluded that the continued operation of Betws-y-Coed was not sustainable given its very low numbers and high cost per pupil.

The school itself is in good condition

One of the strongest arguments from opponents is that the closure does not appear to be driven by a failing or unsuitable building.

Conwy's own consultation document describes Ysgol Betws-y-Coed as being in good condition, with no fundamental issues requiring attention.

It is a Grade II listed building and has a current maintenance backlog of around £34,300 following improvements over the previous five years, including upgraded toilets, windows and the school kitchen and canteen.

Janet Finch-Saunders has highlighted that investment, saying more than £700,000 has been spent on the school on improvements including a new kitchen, windows and plumbing.

That has fuelled concerns among opponents that closing the school so soon after significant investment represents poor value for money.

The council's position is that the condition of the building is not the central issue. Its argument is that a good building cannot justify the continued cost of running a school for such a small number of pupils.

The council says there is capacity at nearby Welsh-medium schools and that no building extensions or physical adaptations would be needed to accommodate children from Betws-y-Coed.

Its consultation identified Ysgol Capel Garmon, Ysgol Bro Gwydir, Ysgol Penmachno, Ysgol Llanddoged, Ysgol Dolwyddelan and Ysgol Pentrefoelas as potential alternatives.

However, the consultation also recognised that pupils and families could face changes to their daily routines and travel arrangements.

The council's published figures put the nearest alternative, Ysgol Capel Garmon, at around 3.1 miles and 11 minutes from Betws-y-Coed, while other options range from roughly 12 to 16 minutes by the council's estimated journey times.

Opponents have argued that journey times on rural roads cannot always be judged simply by distance, particularly during poor weather and flooding, and that parents' working patterns can make school transport more complicated.

The formal consultation ran from November 28, 2025, to January 9, 2026, after Conwy Cabinet agreed in November 2025 that consultation should begin.

Both Betws-y-Coed and Ysbyty Ifan are designated rural schools. Under the Welsh Government's School Organisation Code, there is a presumption against closing rural schools, meaning Conwy had to demonstrate strong justification and show that it had conscientiously considered viable alternatives.

The consultation nevertheless produced significant opposition.

Reports of the process said Conwy received 198 responses concerning Ysgol Betws-y-Coed, with 163 opposing closure. A petition against the proposal was also signed by 966 people.

The council's Education and Skills Overview and Scrutiny Committee subsequently did not support the closure proposals.

However, Conwy's Cabinet ultimately took a different view.

On June 9, 2026, Cabinet voted by eight votes to one to proceed with the formal closure process for Ysgol Betws-y-Coed and Ysgol Ysbyty Ifan.

Statutory notices were then published, beginning a further 28-day period during which formal objections could be made. That period ran from June 24 to July 21.

The council says representations received during that process would be considered before the final determination.

The Betws-y-Coed controversy comes against a wider backdrop of falling pupil numbers and difficult decisions about the future of small rural schools.

Conwy has been examining its school estate and has identified a need to address surplus capacity and ensure education resources are used efficiently.

The authority has also been considering the future of Ysgol Ysbyty Ifan, which has capacity for 40 pupils but also had only 14 pupils in January 2025.

For supporters of the schools, however, the argument is about more than pupil numbers and budgets.

They see a village school as part of the infrastructure that helps sustain a rural community, attract and retain families and maintain a sense of identity.

That is particularly significant in areas where housing pressures, second homes and holiday accommodation are already concerns.

For Conwy Council, the challenge is balancing those community considerations against its responsibility to provide sustainable education services with finite resources.

Janet Finch-Saunders says the decision will have a “devastating impact” on the community and pupils.

She has criticised the Council Leader's refusal to intervene and is continuing to call for the closure to be reconsidered.

She said: “The Council Leader’s lack of action to prevent this closure is deeply disappointing. It is vital that Conwy County Borough Council reconsiders this decision, and I will continue to call for immediate action to be taken to prevent this closure, which will severely disrupt the local community.”

The council, meanwhile, maintains that the priority is ensuring children affected by any closure are supported into alternative Welsh-medium provision.

The dispute therefore reflects a difficult question facing many rural authorities: how do you protect the role of a village school at the heart of a community when the number of children using it has fallen so dramatically and the cost of educating each pupil has risen to exceptionally high levels?

For Ysgol Betws-y-Coed, that question has now moved beyond consultation and into the final stages of the statutory closure process.

Conwy County Borough Council, working with the WalkWheelCycle Trust, has launched a public consultation on existing and proposed active travel routes across the county.

Residents are being encouraged to comment on routes they already use, identify problems or gaps in the network and suggest where improvements or new connections are needed.

Active travel covers journeys made by walking, cycling and wheeling, including wheelchair and mobility scooter users. The aim is to make it easier and safer for people to make everyday local journeys without relying on a car.

For Conwy, that could mean better connections between residential areas, town centres, schools, workplaces, railway stations and other community facilities.

The consultation is being carried out under the Active Travel (Wales) Act 2013, which places a legal duty on Welsh local authorities to continuously improve facilities and routes for walking, wheeling and cycling.

Conwy's current active travel network map was approved by the Welsh Government in August 2022.

Since then, the council says it has continued to develop and improve infrastructure, including new routes and facilities intended to benefit pedestrians, cyclists and people who wheel.

The latest consultation is intended to provide an opportunity to review how the network has developed and identify priorities for its next stage.

That is particularly significant as Conwy has a mixture of urban and rural communities, with very different transport needs. A route that works well in a town centre may not provide the same benefits to people living in smaller villages or more rural parts of the county.

The council says feedback will help shape both existing and future routes.

The consultation will remain open until Monday, November 9, 2026, with the revised active travel map due to be submitted to the Welsh Government in December.

Residents can take part online through the Welsh Government's DataMapWales consultation.

Have Your Say on Walking, Wheeling and Cycling in Conwy

Drop-in consultation events will also be held, with details of locations and dates expected to be advertised once arrangements have been confirmed.

The council is encouraging people who walk, cycle or wheel regularly – as well as those who currently do not – to take part.

The consultation could therefore provide an opportunity for residents to highlight not only where existing routes work well, but also where missing links, difficult crossings, poor surfaces or other barriers discourage people from choosing active travel.

With transport, health and the environment all increasingly part of discussions about how Conwy's communities should develop, the council says residents' views will help determine what the county's active travel network should look like in the future.

The striking sculptures have been loaned to the festival by Pendine Park, headline sponsors of the event, and will provide an unusual visual link to this year's theme of Macrocosm: Music and Conservation.

The gorilla will be displayed at St Asaph Parish Church, while the huge grizzly will loom over visitors in the transept of St Asaph Cathedral, the main festival venue.

The sculptures were created by Pendine Park garden team member and chainsaw artist Paul Morris.

He used a dead maple tree from Pendine's gardens in Wrexham to create the gorilla, while a sycamore tree blown down in the grounds provided the timber for the bear.

Their appearance at the festival has been inspired by the passion for wildlife conservation of Pendine Park's chairman, Mario Kreft MBE.

Mario and his wife Gill have travelled extensively in Africa and have encountered gorillas in the wild, including rare Western Lowland Gorillas in the Democratic Republic of Congo.

Mario will share some of those experiences during Mario in the Mist, an illustrated conversation with festival artistic director Paul Mealor at St Asaph Parish Church at 1pm on Friday, September 18.

The title is a reference to Gorillas in the Mist, the film about the life of conservationist Dian Fossey, played by Sigourney Weaver.

The festival says the talk will explore Mario's experiences in Rwanda and Kenya, the majesty of gorillas and their interactions with people, as well as conservation work in the region.

Mario's interest in animals stretches back to his childhood.

Born in Durban, South Africa, he is the son of circus lion and bear tamer Franz Kreft and his Rhyl-born wife Pamela. Mario and his brothers were brought up by their grandparents in the Vale of Clwyd while their parents travelled the world with the circus.

He says his fascination with gorillas was sparked in the 1970s by David Attenborough's television programmes.

After subsequently making numerous trips to Africa, he says one of the most memorable experiences has been getting close to gorillas in their natural environment.

He and Gill have not returned to Africa since the Covid pandemic but hope to travel to Tanzania, Kenya and Uganda in 2027.

The planned trip will have an additional North Wales connection. Mario says they are hoping to visit the area where explorer Henry Morton Stanley met David Livingstone. Stanley was born in Denbigh and spent part of his childhood in the workhouse in St Asaph.

The conservation theme is being woven throughout this year's festival rather than being confined to the wildlife sculptures.

The official programme describes the event as an exploration of the relationship between the natural world and music, with performances and events inspired by landscapes, endangered species and environmental change.

Among the highlights will be a performance by the BBC National Orchestra of Wales, conducted by Tianyi Lu, with harpist Alis Huws and violinist Thomas Mathias.

The programme includes Vaughan Williams' The Lark Ascending, the world premiere of Cameron Biles-Liddell's new harp concerto Nature's Dance, commissioned by the festival in association with the BBC, and Beethoven's Pastoral Symphony.

Young audiences will also be able to hear Prokofiev's Peter and the Wolf performed by NEW Sinfonia, alongside three new commissions inspired by endangered Welsh wildlife – the red squirrel, pine marten and Snowdon leaf beetle.

The festival opens on Thursday, September 10, with international opera star Sir Bryn Terfel, accompanied by pianist Ellis Thomas.

Other events include performances by The Gesualdo Six, the Pendine Young Musician of Wales Final, music from the North Wales Music Cooperative's Fusion Band and a closing concert bringing together Anglesey choir Encôr and Cardiff-based Hen Nodiant.

The ten-day festival runs from September 10 to 19 and also features community projects, workshops and free fringe events across St Asaph.

The programme includes the free Mario in the Mist talk on September 18, alongside poetry, live music, a songwriter showcase and a North Wales Comedy Night. The festival confirms that its fringe events are free and do not require booking, although some events have limited capacity.

The North Wales International Music Festival says its wider community programme includes work with specialist schools, care settings, hospitals and community groups across North Wales, underlining its ambition to make the festival accessible beyond the traditional concert audience.

For festival-goers, however, the first surprise may come before the music begins – with two enormous reminders of this year's message that the arts and the natural world can be closely connected.

And while the gorilla and grizzly bear are made from trees rather than roaming free, they are likely to provide some of the festival's most memorable photo opportunities.

The men already work closely with young people and have been trained to have conversations about harmful behaviour, healthy relationships and positive masculinity.

The training, delivered in partnership with White Ribbon, is designed to help men recognise and challenge attitudes and behaviours which can contribute to violence against women and girls.

Those taking part are now using what they have learned in their own communities, helping young men and boys develop greater respect, self-reflection and understanding of healthy relationships.

One of those inspired by the programme is Cardiff musician James Minas, who went on to establish Bros B4 Lows – a support group for men working in the music community.

The initiative reflects a wider shift in the approach to tackling violence against women and girls in Wales, with an increasing emphasis on prevention and changing attitudes before harmful behaviour escalates.

The Welsh Government’s Violence Against Women, Domestic Abuse and Sexual Violence strategy identifies early intervention and prevention as priorities. It also calls for greater awareness among children, young people and adults of safe, equal and healthy relationships.

The strategy also recognises that tackling violence cannot simply be about responding after an incident has taken place. It says harmful attitudes, including misogyny and damaging ideas about masculinity, can help create an environment in which abusive behaviour becomes normalised.

The Sound campaign was launched as part of that preventative approach. Its public campaign has previously focused on issues including catcalling, physical intimidation and inappropriate touching in public spaces, while encouraging men to consider their own behaviour and how they can act as allies.

The Welsh Government has said engaging men and boys is an important part of achieving wider cultural change. Its communications strategy describes the involvement of men and boys as integral to efforts to de-normalise violence against women, domestic abuse and sexual violence.

The latest training comes as Wales prepares for the next phase of its national approach to tackling violence against women, domestic abuse and sexual violence. The current Welsh strategy runs to 2026, with the National Adviser’s 2026-27 plan stating that a new Welsh strategy will be developed under the new Welsh Government.

The National Adviser has said Wales still has a considerable way to go before it can achieve the ambition of becoming “the safest place to be a woman in Europe”, while stressing the need for a whole-system approach involving prevention, protection and support.

The 20 men who have completed the Sound training are therefore being positioned as part of that preventative effort – taking conversations about respect, relationships and masculinity beyond formal training and into the communities and groups where they already have influence.

The aim is that by challenging harmful attitudes among men and boys at an early stage, those conversations can contribute to longer-term cultural change and safer environments for women and girls across Wales.

Umbrella Against the Rain was a 10-month partnership between Denbighshire Leisure Ltd (DLL), Conwy County Borough Council and Betsi Cadwaladr University Health Board, funded by NHS Charities Together.

Running from May 2025 to March 2026, the programme supported 161 people experiencing mental health challenges, providing opportunities to take part in a wide range of creative activities including visual arts, music, dance and singing.

The project also supported staff from the partner organisations and freelance artists, who took part in wellbeing sessions and specialist training exploring the relationship between creativity and mental health.

An independent Social Return on Investment evaluation found that every £1 invested in the project generated £5.66 in social value.

The findings highlight the potential for arts-based approaches to play an important role in prevention, early intervention and improving people's wellbeing.

Jamie Groves, Managing Director of Denbighshire Leisure Ltd, said the project demonstrated how accessible creative activities could benefit individuals while also delivering wider benefits for communities and public services.

“As the demand for accessible mental health support continues to grow, projects like ‘Umbrella Against the Rain’ provide a compelling example of how the arts can not only contribute to healthier communities, but also deliver significant social and economic benefits for public services, partners and the wider public,” he said.

“DLL is pleased to have been involved in such a successful project, which clearly demonstrated the transformative impact creative engagement can have on individuals and communities.”

The programme reached communities across both counties, including rural areas such as Betws-y-Coed.

Councillor Dilwyn Roberts, Conwy’s Cabinet Member for Culture, Leisure and Governance Services, said the project demonstrated the value of partnership working and locally delivered support.

“This initiative has been an excellent example of partnership working,” he said.

“I am delighted that the project reached communities across both counties, including rural areas such as Betws-y-Coed. It demonstrates how locally delivered, arts-based wellbeing activities can support prevention and early intervention in mental health – reducing pressure on our statutory services and importantly helping people reconnect with their communities through creativity.”

The evaluation found that the benefits extended beyond participation in creative activities.

83% of participants said they felt less lonely and isolated, while 79% reported improved self-esteem and 76% said they had learnt new ways of managing their mental health.

For one participant, the programme provided an important source of connection and something positive to look forward to during a particularly difficult period.

“It has been something good to look forward to in a very tough time in my life. I have enjoyed the connection with nature and the calming effect of the activities. I hope very much that there will be other events like this I can attend,” they said.

The partners say the findings add to growing evidence that arts and creative activities can make a meaningful difference to people's lives.

The results also suggest that investing in community-based creative opportunities could have wider benefits by helping people build confidence, reduce isolation, develop coping strategies and reconnect with their communities – potentially reducing demand on health and social care services.

The success of Umbrella Against the Rain provides a strong example of how collaboration between local authorities, health organisations and the creative sector can deliver benefits that extend well beyond the immediate participants, with creativity becoming an important part of a wider approach to health, wellbeing and prevention across North Wales.

Mr Millar says too many communities across North Wales are still without reliable, high-speed broadband, despite dependable digital connectivity becoming increasingly important for work, education and access to essential services.

He recently submitted a Written Question to the Cabinet Secretary for Enterprise, Connectivity and Energy, Adam Price, asking what action the Welsh Government is taking to address the problem.

In his response, the Cabinet Secretary said telecommunications is not a devolved matter and responsibility for improving mobile phone and broadband connectivity in Wales rests with the UK Government.

However, he said the Welsh Government was working to create the right conditions for investment by the telecommunications industry.

“We aim to create the right conditions for telecoms industry investment in mobile phone connectivity with the levers at our disposal and continue to make the case for ongoing investment in digital infrastructure throughout Wales,” he said.

“This includes encouraging private sector operators to expand their own networks.”

The response also highlighted several Welsh Government initiatives, including work with BT and Denbighshire County Council which recently helped bring a mobile phone signal to the rural village of Clocaenog for the first time.

But Mr Millar says he is concerned that the response failed to address the potential role of the Welsh planning system in helping to speed up the rollout of digital infrastructure.

The Clwyd MS has consistently campaigned for improved digital connectivity, arguing that reliable high-speed broadband is now an essential service rather than a luxury for rural households and businesses.

He said: “It is welcome that the Welsh Government recognises the problems faced by rural communities when it comes to mobile phone coverage and broadband speeds, but this response raises as many questions as answers.

“I remain particularly concerned about the number of areas across North Wales where people still cannot access reliable high-speed broadband in 2026. That simply isn’t good enough.

“There is no mention whatsoever of whether the planning system is acting as a barrier to the rollout of the infrastructure we need.

“I therefore intend to raise this issue during a forthcoming Business Statement in the Senedd and will be pressing the Welsh Government for clearer clarity on what it can do to ensure planning processes are not unnecessarily delaying or preventing improvements to connectivity.”

Mr Millar says better digital infrastructure is particularly important in rural areas, where poor connectivity can affect residents' ability to work, study, access public services and run businesses.

He is now calling for greater clarity over the respective responsibilities of the Welsh and UK Governments, as well as action to ensure planning processes do not unnecessarily hold up improvements to mobile and broadband coverage.

On September 8, 1936, three prominent Welsh nationalists – Saunders Lewis, Lewis Valentine and D.J. Williams – set fire to buildings at RAF Penrhos near Pwllheli in protest against the destruction of Penyberth farmhouse to make way for the airbase.

The three men later drove to a nearby police station and handed themselves in.

They were eventually tried at the Old Bailey after a jury at Caernarfon Assizes failed to reach a verdict, and were sentenced to nine months in prison at Wormwood Scrubs.

Their release was greeted by supporters in Wales, with around 15,000 people turning out in Caernarfon to welcome the three men home.

Now, nine decades after the fire, Welsh-language opera company OPRA Cymru has commissioned acclaimed Anglesey composer Gareth Glyn to bring the dramatic events to the stage.

Fflamau Penyberth (Flames of Penyberth) has a libretto by OPRA Cymru founder Patrick Young, from Llan Ffestiniog, written in collaboration with Caernarfon author and historian Arwel Vittle.

The opera will receive its world premiere at Neuadd Dwyfor in Pwllheli on November 19 before embarking on a tour of venues across Wales.

Patrick Young said the production would commemorate an event which had a lasting impact on the Welsh language and the country's nationalist movement.

“Gareth Glyn returns to work with OPRA Cymru to retell the extraordinary story of three God-fearing men who set fire to an airbase before they hand themselves in to police,” he said.

The story begins with one of the central figures behind bars, before moving backwards through the events which led to the fire.

Arwel Vittle, whose book Cythral o Dân recounts the events and the political turbulence surrounding them, said the opera would explore the protests, planning, court cases and imprisonment which followed the fire.

“There were protests and meticulous planning before the act itself and the subsequent court cases in Caernarfon and the Old Bailey and their imprisonment,” he said.

He said some artistic licence had been used in adapting the story for the stage, including condensing some events, but that the historical premise remained accurate.

Penyberth itself had a deep cultural and historical significance in Wales. The farmhouse had been home to generations of patrons of poets and had also served as a stopping point for pilgrims travelling to Bardsey Island.

Plans to demolish it to make way for RAF Penrhos sparked widespread protests across Wales.

The airfield was intended to operate as an air observer, gunnery and bombing school, but opposition to its construction became a defining moment for the fledgling Plaid Genedlaethol Cymru, the forerunner of today's Plaid Cymru.

The three men at the centre of the story went on to become significant figures in Welsh political and cultural life.

Lewis Valentine, who was born in Llanddulas near Colwyn Bay, was a Baptist minister, politician, author, editor and Welsh-language activist. He became the first leader of Plaid Cymru after its formation in 1925.

Saunders Lewis, born into a Welsh-speaking family in Wallasey, became one of Wales's most influential writers, poets and political thinkers.

His 1962 radio broadcast Tynged yr Iaith – The Fate of the Language – warned that the Welsh language faced extinction unless urgent action was taken. The speech helped inspire the formation of Cymdeithas yr Iaith Gymraeg, the Welsh Language Society.

D.J. Williams, from Rhydcymerau near Llanybydder, was a prominent Welsh-language writer and nationalist and was also among the founders of Plaid Cymru.

The new opera features a cast of prominent singers, with tenor Robyn Lyn Evans and baritones Emyr Wyn Jones and Robin Gruffudd Hughes taking leading roles.

Patrick Young said the three singers had all worked with OPRA Cymru previously and would bring considerable experience to the production.

The tour will open at Neuadd Dwyfor, Pwllheli, on November 19, followed by performances at:

Theatr y Stiwt, Rhosllannerchrugog – November 20
Pontio, Bangor – November 24
Taliesin Arts Centre, Swansea – November 26
Memo Arts Centre, Barry – November 27
Theatr Brycheiniog, Brecon – November 28
Theatr y Werin, Aberystwyth – December 3
Neuadd Dwyfor, Pwllheli – December 5

Further information about the production and tickets is available through OPRA Cymru and the individual theatre box offices.

The production promises to revisit a defining and still-debated episode in modern Welsh history, bringing together music, drama and the Welsh language to explore why three men were prepared to take such a dramatic step – and the impact their actions would have on the future of Welsh nationalism and the language.

Conwy County Borough Council is consulting on a new Dog Control Public Spaces Protection Order (PSPO), which is due to replace the current order when it expires in October 2026.

The existing order covers a number of restrictions, including dog exclusion zones on places such as beaches and playing fields, requirements to clean up dog fouling and rules requiring dogs to be kept on leads.

The council is now proposing three changes as part of its review.

These include creating designated dog exercise areas at Maesdu Road Recreation Ground and The Oval Recreation Ground in Llandudno.

The council is also proposing the permanent exclusion of dogs from Betws Yn Rhos Sports and Recreation Ground.

A further proposed change would see part of the new dry beach between Colwyn Bay and Rhos on Sea, along The Cayley Promenade, become a permanent dog exclusion zone.

The council is seeking views on extending the Dog Control PSPO for a further three years, as well as the three proposed additions.

The consultation is open until 11 September 2026.

Councillor Stephen Price, Cabinet Member for Housing, Regulatory and Audit, said dog fouling and irresponsible dog ownership were issues regularly raised by residents.

He said the proposed controls were intended to strike a balance between allowing responsible dog owners to enjoy public spaces with their pets while ensuring those areas could be used safely and comfortably by everyone.

“The vast majority of dog owners are responsible, but these measures are aimed at tackling the small number who allow their dogs to foul, stray or be out of control in public places,” he said.

He is encouraging residents, whether they own dogs or not, to take part in the consultation before a final decision is made.

The proposed order, maps and response form are available on Conwy County Borough Council's website.

Paper copies are also available at Coed Pella offices in Colwyn Bay for people who are unable to take part online.

The closing date for comments is 11 September, with the results of the consultation expected to be presented to councillors in the autumn before a final decision is taken.

Public Spaces Protection Orders are used by councils to place conditions or restrictions on activities in specific public areas where those activities are considered to have a detrimental impact, or potential detrimental impact, on the quality of life of the local community.

The Gogs made a fast start and showed plenty of intent, moving the ball quickly and attacking at pace around the breakdown.

Their early pressure was rewarded when Jac Williams collected a cross-field kick before sending new signing Ieuan Cornelius racing down the left wing to score.

RGC continued to dominate possession and regularly threatened the Chester 22, although a couple of knock-ons allowed the home side to escape further pressure.

The visitors doubled their advantage when Williams again found himself in space after collecting a loose ball, sprinting through to score. McBryde added the conversion.

Chester responded strongly, scoring two tries in quick succession to turn the game around, with former RGC player Sam Rogers adding the conversion to put the hosts 14-12 ahead.

RGC had the final say before half-time, however, as Gruff Llwyd read a Chester pass superbly, intercepted and raced away to score. The try put the Gogs back in front at 17-14.

The second half saw Chester pile on the pressure, with RGC forced to defend for long periods as the home side looked for a way through.

Former RGC players Tommy Ellis and Morgan Bagshaw helped orchestrate Chester's attacking play, with the hosts repeatedly threatening in the RGC half.

The penalty count began to build as Chester continued to back themselves at the attacking lineout. But RGC's defence stood firm, producing crucial tackles when they mattered most.

After 18 minutes of sustained pressure, the Gogs finally cleared their lines and won a penalty to move into Chester territory.

And when RGC next entered the Chester 22, they once again made it count.

A cross-field kick caused problems for the home defence and Llwyd was on hand to collect the ball and dive over for his second try of the afternoon.

RGC's defensive workload increased again as Chester pushed forward, with Huw Davies shown a yellow card after 70 minutes.

However, Chester were unable to make their numerical advantage count.

Instead, RGC struck again, with Daf Thirsk hitting a superb line to take the ball and power over the line. McBryde added the conversion to put the Gogs 29-14 ahead.

It was a key feature of RGC's second-half performance – while Chester enjoyed plenty of pressure, the visitors were clinical whenever they managed to reach the home side's 22.

Chester did have the final say, moving the ball quickly through the hands before using their numerical advantage to create space out wide and score in the corner. Rogers added the conversion to reduce the deficit.

The home side pushed for another score as the clock ticked towards 80 minutes, but RGC continued to defend with determination.

A final turnover secured the victory, allowing the Gogs to head back across the A55 with a valuable 29-21 win.

RGC winger Sam Jones said the victory was a positive way to begin preparations for the new campaign.

“It was good to get back on the pitch after a long pre-season, and to get the win,” he said.

“We have plenty to work on in the next two weeks, as we were rusty at times.

“It is always good to see the younger players making their senior debut, and we can focus and build to Coventry at home in two weeks' time.”

RGC will now continue their pre-season preparations ahead of their next fixture against Coventry at home on Saturday, August 29, with kick-off at 3.30pm.

West Conwy officers carried out the operation earlier today after receiving information from a concerned member of the public who reported seeing a man apparently selling items to other people, including children.

The operation involved Neighbourhood Policing Officers and Response colleagues.

Police also located a vehicle which they suspect had been used by the man to store further illegal tobacco and other products.

Both the vehicle and its contents have been seized.

The male suspect will now be dealt with in conjunction with Trading Standards.

Sergeant Ball from the West Conwy Neighbourhood Team said officers were determined to tackle the illegal trade in tobacco and vape products being brought into the area.

He said the West Conwy team was “leading the way in North Wales” in joint working with partners including Trading Standards, Immigration and the Fire Service.

Officers say they will use all available legislation and resources to disrupt those involved in the illegal trade, including seizing goods, property and money.

Sergeant Ball also appealed to anyone with information about the illegal sale of tobacco or vape products to come forward.

Information can be passed to North Wales Police via 101 or webchat, directly to local policing teams, or anonymously through Crimestoppers.

He also issued a warning to people who buy illegal tobacco and vape products.

“For those fuelling this criminality by buying these dangerous products please think again,” he said.

“You have no idea what chemicals they contain and you could end up seriously impacting your health or even worse in hospital.”

Police say the operation demonstrates the importance of information from members of the public in helping to tackle illegal activity in local communities.

North Wales Police received reports shortly after midday yesterday, that the aircraft, which had been travelling from an airfield in England, had not arrived at Caernarfon as scheduled.

A multi-agency search operation involving air and ground teams was launched, and the aircraft was eventually located in a remote location near Trawsfynydd.

The two people on board were sadly pronounced dead at the scene.

The Air Accidents Investigation Branch (AAIB) has been informed and has deployed a team of investigators to examine the circumstances surrounding the incident.

Chief Superintendent Owain Llewellyn said: “Our thoughts are with the families and friends of those involved in this tragic incident.

“We will support the AAIB with their investigation to ensure the circumstances leading to this incident are fully understood.

“This has been a challenging search operation and I am grateful to all of the agencies involved for their professionalism and dedication.”

The investigation into the circumstances surrounding the crash is ongoing.