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The Sun
an hour ago
- The Sun
I lost a THIRD of my garden to £2B mega road & massive wall snaking around my home… it's a nightmare but I won't move
A £2BILLION road has been built around a pensioner's garden after he refused to move from the family home he has lived in for 65 years. The new road, which curves around John Watkeys' home, officially opened yesterday in Merthyr Tydfill. 9 John, 75, was first told by officials that they would not need any of his land or house to build the Heads of Valleys road, but they later changed their minds. However, John stood his ground and, instead, the road now curves around his home after he refused to have it knocked down. The Welsh government offered to compulsory purchase the property, but the former microbiologist and keen gardener refused. While John was luckily able to keep his forever home, he still lost a third of his beloved garden to the road scheme. He said: 'The whole process has been upsetting. It's been stressful. 'I've been left picking up the pieces. 'It has been extremely stressful for a lot of years.' 9 9 9 John used to grow fruit and veg in the garden, and would also sit under an oak tree to watch bats, however, this was all lost to the new road. He said: 'In the evenings, bats used to come around the oak tree, for the gants and insects. 'Now, you don't see any. I miss it. It was a sign of life, really.' The 28-mile stretch of road snakes round his house and he is now left with a massive wall at the end of his garden, where he has started to replant. John explained: 'They said we want to knock down your garage and we need your drive. 'You can imagine my response. 'So they found another way.' He added: 'When I was a kid, you'd look out onto the garden, and there'd be goldfinches, bullfinches, tits, wrens, a couple of jays and woodpeckers. 'You'd hear owls in the evenings. 'You'd always have a few hedgehogs, but now, you're lucky if you see a few blackbirds. 'There aren't any birds left, nothing. 'It's almost devoid of the wildlife that you used to see. 'It's because the habitat is gone. I've lost oaks, I've lost hawthorns. 'They took down a lovely 70-year-old oak tree at the bottom of my garden.' 9 9 The Heads of the Valleys road has now officially opened after 23 years of roadworks and a £2billion spend. What was once a relatively small A465, is now a major road. Some nicknamed it the "road from hell," while the work that started in 2002 was being completed. This was due to the congestion it caused, but now all the cones have gone and traffic flows freely. First Minister Eluned Morgan, has named the upgrade Wales' biggest project since devolution in 1999, giving valleys communities "the same opportunities" as other areas. John explained that now the roadworks are complete, he is trying to rebuild his garden in a bid to make it as special as it once was. He said: 'I did a couple of hours out there yesterday digging it over, and it will need some more before I start planting. 'Unfortunately, at my age, I won't see the full effect of it. 'And all that is because of the road.' John explained that despite initial assurances that the new road would not take any of his land, they later wanted to knock down part of his house, with the Welsh government even offering to buy it off of him. However, John refused to sell the home he grew up in, in the Cefn Coed area of Merthyr. He said that not only was this his childhood home, but both his parents and wife died there and he could not part with it. Three tips for saving money on your garden John recalled how, in February 2019, advisors from the firm involved in the road expansion requested a meeting and came to see him at his home. He said: 'I can remember it like it was yesterday. 'They said 'our plans have changed. We're going to knock down your garage. We want the whole of your drive for our working area and you can have that bit back when we are finished.'' John continued: 'The heating, my hot water and everything was at the back of the garage, so I think you can imagine my response to that. 'You fight it as best you can.' After challenging this offer, John said they came back to him asking just to take a bit of the garden. He said: 'You get compensation but it still hasn't settled yet. 'It's a compulsory purchase so they can do what they want. 'They were pile driving right outside my back door. 'That was hellish noisy. Extremely noisy.' 9 9 9 John has been given interim compensation from the Welsh government for the loss of his garden but is waiting for a full settlement. The pensioner isn't alone in his frustration, as neighbour, Daryl Wilkins, claims the works have left his home with cracks in the walls. The former fish and chip van owner, 79, said: "I had a survey on the house before work started and there were no cracks. "Now my house has cracks on outside and inside walls and that's because of vibrations from piling going on outside my house." He added: "Now I've got damage throughout the house, it will take thousands of pounds to repair. "I don't want compensation, I just want my house repaired." Transport secretary Ken Skates said he thanked residents 'for their patience during the construction period' and that the Welsh government continued to 'work with them to resolve any issues.' The Sun has reached out to Merthyr council and Transport for Wales for further comment.
BBC News
8 hours ago
- BBC News
Tributes to 'remarkable' Southport teacher who died from brain tumour
Staff have paid tribute to a "truly remarkable" long-term teacher who has died, saying she "gave so much of herself" to the school community. Caroline Williams worked at Churchtown Primary School in Southport for 25 years before her death last month after being diagnosed with a brain tumour 18 months Jinnie Payne wrote to parents and carers that Mrs Williams's death had left staff and pupils "heartbroken". She said: "Her commitment to education, her belief in every child, and her unwavering standards made her a truly remarkable teacher." "While she set the bar high, she always did so with warmth, humour, and a sharp wit that kept us all smiling."The mother-of-two was known for having banned the word "nice" from her classroom as it wasn't descriptive enough, Mrs Payne said. She continued: "She taught with compassion and conviction, and she gave so much of herself to our school community." Fellow teacher Mrs Bowers said Mrs Williams "quietly made people feel noticed, loved and valued"."She went out of her way to comfort people when they were unhappy or sad," she added. "She was always an advocate for all children but especially looked after children or disadvantaged children, she always had their needs at the forefront of her mind."She wore her heart on her sleeve and she just wanted the best for people. She fought hard for things she believed in."Mrs Collins noted Mrs Williams' empathy and consideration of others, saying: "Caroline's emails to staff at Christmas and the ends of terms about vulnerable children, reminded us all to think for a moment about how difficult these times could be for some." A celebration of Mrs Williams's life will take place at West Lancashire Crematorium on 24 June, the Local Democracy Reporting Service said. Listen to the best of BBC Radio Merseyside on Sounds and follow BBC Merseyside on Facebook, X, and Instagram. You can also send story ideas via Whatsapp to 0808 100 2230.
BBC News
8 hours ago
- BBC News
Scaffolding removal to reveal 200-year-old Brighton church tower
A 200-year-old church tower which has been shrouded in scaffolding for 11 years will soon be Peter's Church in York Place, Brighton, has been undergoing internal restoration since 2009 and scaffolding was erected in 2014 to restore the tower's work is nearing completion and it is hoped the framework can be dismantled by the end of the £3m project has restored the four clock faces on the tower and much of the stonework, as well as addressing damp and mould issues. 'New lease of life' "It's really exciting, a church of this magnitude, beauty and age needs real care and attention," said Sandy Matthews, project director for the told BBC Radio Sussex: "As the contractors started to work down the building they found more issues, as there often is with a building of this age."The latest phase has taken longer than we hoped, as has the whole project but we've never stopped trying to restore the building. We're in a position now where we can start to reveal some of it. "It's bringing life back to the church and the community."The Diocese of Chichester decided to close the church in 2007 as it was falling into disrepair and had a dwindling it was saved in 2009 and now runs a variety of community events and church services. It welcomes up to 1,000 people through its doors every week. Jack Herniman, contracts manager for construction company DBR, said: "We've worked from the top at the pinnacles, these have either been dismantled or rebuilt."A few elements had to be dismantled for safety if they were at the point where they were beyond repair or saved for a later date."We've also made repairs to the stonework, done a lot of repointing work and a lot of intricate carving work. We've given it that new lease of life."
