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Bringing you the best of what South Wales has to offer. DISCLAIMER: Valley Times is not responsible

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01/06/2026

Wild Seal Swims Up To Stranger In The Sea And Gives Him The Most Adorable Cwtch 🫂🦭💖

In one of the most heartwarming moments you will ever see, a wild seal swam directly up to a man enjoying a swim in the sea and wrapped itself around him for a cuddle — and the internet absolutely loves it.

The incredible photo shows the seal nuzzling its nose right up against the man's face, its flippers wrapped around him as if greeting an old friend. There was no coaxing, no feeding, no tricks. The seal simply chose him.

The comments say it all. One user wrote "Awww, you got the seal of approval!" — a pun that earned over 400 likes — while another perfectly summed it up with "They are the doggos of the sea."

And honestly? They are not wrong.

Scientists have long acknowledged that seals are highly curious and socially intelligent animals, capable of forming bonds and showing what can only be described as affection.

Moments like this serve as a beautiful reminder that the emotional lives of animals are far richer than we often give them credit for.

Sometimes the sea surprises you — and sometimes it sends you a seal who just wants a cwtch.

01/06/2026

Dad-Of-Four Paralysed In Horror Motocross Accident 💔 Relative Tackles Barefoot Marathon In Support 🙌

A Welsh family has been left devastated after a horror crash at a motocross event changed their lives forever. Nathan Adams, a 35-year-old father of four, was enjoying a club event in Gloucestershire when another rider lost control and hit him from behind.

The catastrophic collision caused severe spinal cord damage, leaving Nathan with no feeling from the chest down. Over eight months on from the incident, Nathan is still undergoing intense rehabilitation at Llandough Hospital, learning how to adapt to a wheelchair and navigate his completely altered life.

To support Nathan, his partner, and their four young children with the massive costs of converting their home for wheelchair access, a close relative has taken on an unbelievable challenge. Joe Granville from Cardiff recently completed the grueling Stockholm Marathon completely barefoot, enduring intense pain to raise vital funds for specialist equipment and therapies.

Nathan is described by loved ones as an absolute champ who is tackling his recovery with incredible determination, but the family still faces a long and expensive road ahead as they rearrange their lives.

01/06/2026

Family Loses Everything In Devastating House Fire 🏴󠁧󠁢󠁷󠁬󠁳󠁿

A heartbreaking house fire has left a young Abercynon family facing an incredibly difficult fresh start after their home was destroyed on Saturday May 30.

The blaze, believed to have been caused by a washing machine electrical fault, broke out on Saturday 30 May 2026.

Thankfully, Corey, Tami and their four-year-old daughter Raya were not at home at the time and all escaped unharmed. However, the fire spread rapidly, destroying most of their belongings including clothing, household essentials and precious keepsakes.

With the family having recently moved and not yet having house insurance in place, they now face the enormous challenge of replacing everything they own with no financial safety net.

The close-knit Abercynon community has rallied around the family, with locals urging people to dig deep and support them during this tough time.

Every donation, no matter how small, will help the family rebuild their lives and provide stability for their young daughter.

This story reminds us of the true spirit of community, where neighbours come together when times get hard.

01/06/2026

Pregnant Mum’s Cancer Warning After Doctors Said Lump Would Go Away Now It’s Terminal 💔🥲

Holly Stubbs was 31 weeks pregnant and expecting her third child when she found a lump on her tongue that did not feel right.

The 28-year-old was initially told it was likely a pregnancy-related growth and that it would go away after she gave birth, but it did not. It grew, and after continuing to push for answers, Holly was diagnosed with stage 1 tongue cancer.

She made the decision to safely deliver her baby boy before starting treatment, then underwent surgery and weeks of radiation. For a time, doctors found no evidence of disease.

But after new symptoms appeared in 2026, further tests revealed another tumour, and in May she was told the cancer had spread to her lungs and was terminal.

Despite everything, Holly is still sharing her story online and urging other women to trust their bodies. She said: “All we can do now is hope for a miracle.” People are now being asked to keep Holly and her three children in their thoughts and leave messages of support.

A heartbreaking story and a powerful reminder to trust your body. Holly is reading the messages people leave for her, so feel free to send her some love in the comments.

01/06/2026

Tragic Update As Body Found In Search For Missing Staffordshire Man 💔 R.I.P. 🕊️

A body has been found in the search for a missing 36-year-old man who disappeared six days ago.

Lee Butler was last seen at his home in Staffordshire on Tuesday, May 26. Following his disappearance, a major search operation was launched by South Wales Police, who believed he had travelled to the Vale of Glamorgan.

The search focused heavily on the coastal village of Ogmore-by-Sea, where local residents reported seeing helicopters, drones, and RNLI lifeboats combing the area over the weekend.

Friends of Lee had also travelled all the way from the English Midlands to the Welsh seaside village to assist emergency services in their search efforts.

Following the discovery, loved ones posted touching updates on social media, sharing their intentions to bring Lee back home to Staffordshire to be laid to rest.

A spokesperson for South Wales Police confirmed the sad update this morning, stating that a body has been recovered in the search for Lee Butler.

While formal identification is yet to take place, police have confirmed that Lee's next of kin have been informed of the discovery.

01/06/2026

Your Weekly Shop Is About To Get Cheaper As Government Slashes Prices On Over 100 Everyday Essentials 🍌✅

Good news for families across the UK — the cost of your weekly food shop is set to fall, with the Government announcing plans to cut import tariffs on more than 125 everyday supermarket items.

Chancellor Rachel Reeves confirmed the move, which targets popular household staples including baked beans, biscuits, bananas, bread, chocolate, crisps, olive oil, and tomato ketchup. The savings are expected to total more than £150 million per year across the country, with the Government making clear it expects supermarkets to pass those reductions on in full to shoppers at the till.

The full list of 125 products includes fresh and dried fruits, cooking oils, sauces, confectionery, and plant-based drinks — covering a wide range of the foods British families buy most.

A public consultation on the proposed tariff changes is open until 24 June, giving households the chance to have their say by searching "food tariff cuts consultation" on the GOV UK website.

The announcement comes as the Government steps up efforts to ease the ongoing cost of living crisis, which has been made worse by rising global prices linked to instability in the Middle East.

This is one of the biggest moves yet to bring down the price of food for everyday families — and relief could be on the way at checkouts sooner than many expected.

31/05/2026

Fire On Victoria Street In Now Dealt With After Major Emergency Response 🏴󠁧󠁢󠁷󠁬󠁳󠁿

South Wales Fire and Rescue Service has confirmed that the fire on Victoria Street, Treharris, which started in a garden and quickly spread other houses, has now been dealt with after a major emergency response on Sunday.

Earlier in the day, residents were evacuated to the community hall while others nearby were advised to keep their doors and windows shut because of heavy smoke in the area.

South Wales Fire and Rescue Service has since thanked its crews, emergency responder partners, the local authority, Natural Resources Wales and members of the local community who supported the incident response.

Thankfully, no casualties were reported in the incident, which caused major concern in the village and prompted a large-scale response from emergency services.

A huge thank you to the fire service, police, ambulance crews, partner agencies and everyone in the community who helped during a worrying day in Treharris.

31/05/2026

🐾 A new local service has arrived for and surrounding areas, helping pet owners with one of the not so glamorous jobs 🐾✅

Scoop Patrol Aberdare is a small local business run by a friendly local couple, helping pet owners keep their outdoor spaces cleaner, fresher and easier to manage.

They offer:

💩 Pet waste garden clean ups

🐾 Dog and cat waste removal

🗑️ Already bagged pet waste collections

🐱 Bagged cat litter collections

🌿 Cleaning of affected areas where pet waste has been, including patios, decking and artificial grass where appropriate

🗓️ One off, weekly and fortnightly options

They are NRW registered for responsible waste handling, use pet safe products where appropriate, and use compostable p**p bags.

Waste is taken away as part of their garden clean up service.

Whether the garden has become hard to keep on top of, pet waste bags are starting to pile up, or you simply want one less unpleasant job to deal with, Scoop Patrol Aberdare is here to help.

Prices start from just £10!

📍 Covering Aberdare and surrounding areas

📱 WhatsApp: 07760541636

📧 [email protected]
Scoop Patrol Aberdare

They handle the poo, so you don’t have to 💩🐾

31/05/2026

Talent Behind Rivals Is Helping Put Welsh Screen Craft In The Spotlight 🤩🏴󠁧󠁢󠁷󠁬󠁳󠁿

A costume designer from Pontypridd is earning fresh attention for his work on Rivals, with Ray Holman also known for credits including Doctor Who, Broadchurch and Fleabag.

Holman has worked across major UK productions and his official biography says he designed Jilly Cooper’s Rivals for Disney+ and ITVX through Happy Prince.

He is also a spokesperson for Screen Craft Guild Cymru, a new not-for-profit body launched to champion designers working across costume, production design, hair and make-up in Wales’ screen industries.

The Guild says it wants to support excellence, strengthen community and raise the profile of craft talent in Wales, as more than 500 industry professionals have already shown support.

A great local success story from Pontypridd as Ray Holman’s work on Rivals and some of the UK’s biggest TV productions helps shine a light on Welsh creative talent.

31/05/2026

Emergency services are currently responding to a fire on Victoria Street in Treharris, with several properties evacuated as crews deal with the incident.

Residents who have been displaced have been directed to a local community hall, while a number of road closures remain in place. These include Mary Street, Thomas Street, and access to Treharris via Windsor Place.

Large plumes of smoke can be seen in the area, and residents are being urged to keep windows and doors closed as a precaution. People are also being asked to avoid the area so emergency services can continue their work safely and without obstruction.

Further updates will be provided as more information becomes available.

📸- Tom Best

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