BRECON came to a standstill at 9.15am today to commemorate the 50th anniversary of the Aberfan disaster.
Local people joined others all over Wales to pay their respects to the 144 people, 116 of whom were children, who lost their lives when a spoil tip at the coal mine in Aberfan slid down the mountain destroying everything in its path.
Scores of staff from local businesses along with builders working on the Wellington Hotel, came to a stop as the bells in the town’s St Mary’s Church chimed just before 9.15am this morning (Friday) – exactly 50 years after the tragedy that overwhelmed Pantglas Junior School in the village near Merthyr Tydfil.
Those observing the silence remembered all those who were engulfed by the waste tip and Annette Edwards, receptionist at The Brecon and Radnor Express, said: "I’m so pleased with the turnout this morning. I went around the local businesses yesterday letting people know that we would be observing the silence and the response was great. I was pleasantly surprised by the young people’s response and everyone said they would be there.
"When I rang to ask if it was possible to ring the bells I was overwhelmed by the response from the bell ringers who said straight away they would do it. It’s so important for people today to remember what happened 50 years ago and It was lovely to see such a great response from the local businesses and local people."
Following the disaster that wiped out a generation of children in the village of Aberfan, a tribunal took place where it was concluded that blame lay with the National Coal Board.
They had been disposing of waste on the side of the mountain which caused the catastrophic collapse of the colliery and caused the landslide.