Latest news with #Llyr
Powys County Times
14-07-2025
- Sport
- Powys County Times
Rhayader farmer sets new British two-stand and solo record
Two mid Wales shearers have set a new eight-hour two-stand British ewe shearing record - on the hottest day of the year. The duo of Gethin Lewis and Llyr Evans smashed the previous record of 1,075 ewes, set by Martin Howlett and Jonny Roberts in 2019. Shearing started at 7am at Gethin's family farm of Glan Elan, in Cwmdauddwr, Rhayader, on Saturday, July 12. After four runs the last ewe was shorn at 5pm, meaning a combined total of 1,364 ewes had been shorn in eight hours. Gethin, a two-time Welsh champion shearer, also set a new British individual record, shearing 996 ewes throughout the day. Llyr shore 668 ewes, which also eclipsed the previous solo record set by Huw Jones, of 663. 'I'm delighted that our attempt was successful,' said Gethin, 29. 'It's been a 12-month journey preparing for today, but all the hard work has been worth it.' Llyr added: 'All roads led to today, and I'm proud of what we have both achieved – it feels great to be a British shearing record holder.' Of the hot weather, Llyr, from Trawsgoed, near Aberystwyth, added: 'The extreme heat made the challenge more difficult and at times during the day it was extremely difficult and we both needed to dig deep to get through to the end.' Both Gethin and Llyr paid tribute to all those who had supported their attempt. 'This record would not have been possible without the help and support of both our families,' said Gethin. 'Thank you, it means so much to us both that we have achieved what we have here today. 'We'd also like to pay tribute to the support and commitment of so many people, too many to name individually. Llyr Evans in action. (Image: British Wool) 'From the farmers supplying the sheep, pen men that were here with us all day, the wool wrappers and all our family and friends – a huge thank you.' Gareth Jones, head of member engagement at British Wool, said: 'On behalf of British Wool, we extend our heartfelt congratulations to Gethin and Llyr on their incredible achievement. 'Setting a shearing record requires not only personal dedication and skill but also the collective effort of a strong support team. We commend everyone involved in making this success possible.'
Powys County Times
02-07-2025
- Sport
- Powys County Times
Rhayader farmer aims to break British sheep shearing record
A TWO-time Welsh champion shearer from Powys is teaming up with a national team colleague to try and set a British record. Gethin Lewis, a farmer from Rhayader, will be attempting the 8-hour two stand British ewe record, along with Welsh team-mate Llyr Evans, next weekend. The event will take place on Saturday, July 12, at Glan Elan Farm, Cwmdauddwr, just outside Rhayader, where Gethin, 29, has farmed his whole life. Gethin has already achieved many feats in the shearing world, including becoming back-to-back champion shearer of Wales at the Royal Welsh Show, in both 2023 and 2024. He has also represented Wales for three seasons in New Zealand and was part of the first-ever Welsh test match team to win on Kiwi soil. After 12 months of training and preparation, the duo will now attempt the 8-hour two stand British ewe record, while raising money for the Wales Air Ambulance and Brain Tumour Research. 'Since being involved with Nick Greaves and Llyr Jones' nine-hour lamb record in 2022, it inspired me to want to attempt one myself,' said Gethin. 'So, in 2023, we set out a personal best/tally day to see if I could shear 700 ewes in nine hours. I managed to shear 737, which motivated me further to try a record attempt with Llyr (Evans), who had shorn a tally of 734 in 2024." Llyr, from Trawsgoed, near Aberystwyth, said: 'I have helped with several records and enjoyed being involved and supporting the attempt. 'I always enjoy being surrounded by hard-working people, which makes me push myself a bit more to get to their level.' Gethin grew up on the family farm at Glan Elan, which has over 1,000 breeding ewes and a 60-head suckler herd. He started shearing aged 17, after leaving college, and currently runs a shearing business in partnership with a friend, which was passed down to them in 2022. Shearing season begins in mid-May and finishes just after the Royal Welsh Show, at the end of July. 'I have been a part of the Welsh speed shearing team for two seasons, winning speed shear test matches in New Zealand and in Australia at the Wagga Wagga Speed Shear in 2024,' added Gethin. 'I have also (recently) become a shearing instructor, which I enjoy.' Llyr lives on the home farm of Hendre Rhys and starts his season shearing around the UK, before returning home in June. Llyr has completed six seasons shearing in New Zealand and has also shorn in Norway and Denmark. Gethin and Llyr's attempt at establishing the first British record at this discipline will start at 7am on July 12, with the first run. The second run will be from 9.30-11.30am, the third is from 12.30-2.30pm and the final run is from 3-5pm.
The Irish Sun
04-06-2025
- Entertainment
- The Irish Sun
Love Island's Alex George reveals he has regular Botox after tragedy triggered freak condition… & admits ‘people stare'
LOVE Island star Dr Alex George has bravely opened up about why he has regular Botox injections in his face. The 34-year-old, who featured in the fourth series of the ITV reality show in 2018, suffered an unimaginable tragedy five years ago. 8 Dr Alex featured on the fourth series of Love Island Credit: Rex 8 Alex's brother Llyr sadly died by suicide aged 19 His younger brother Llyr, also an aspiring doctor, The sudden loss saw Alex struggle with PTSD, battle depression and But he also developed facial tics, which become worse when he is anxious. Bravely opening up about how he copes with his demons, the Welsh doctor admitted he feels READ MORE ON LOVE ISLAND "In my life there has been things that happened out of the blue that ended up being very difficult for me," he said. 'Bad things that then have made me very hyper vigilant. 'I have PTSD. I have had tics since I was very young - maybe eight or nine. 'They are linked to my neurodivergence, my ADHD, there is quite a lot of crossover. Most read in Showbiz 'Interestingly when I am really anxious my 'Problem is, the more I focus on it the worse it is. If you bring attention to it, it just gets Love Island 2025 cast revealed as footballer, actress and beauty influencer who cheated death sign up 'I think: 'Don't do it, don't do it, don't do it.' 'I've had Botox in my face to knock my tics out - it used to give me such bad headaches and facial pain so I just Botox it out. 'Maybe I should just stop it and just allow it. But I haven't quite got to that stage of it." He added: 'People do stare at you. They look at you. 'Mine are my forehead and my nose. Because I can't Botox this area out, I still twitch a lot around my nose, mouth and lip. 'People who know me can 'I have it a little bit in my arm as well, and my wrist. I roll my wrist and stuff. 'When you focus on it in a negative sense it just becomes worse and that 8 Following his brothers death, Alex's weight soared from 14 to 20 stone Credit: dralexgeorge/Instagram 8 Alex has since shed the weight by quitting booze and taking up running Credit: Instagram 8 Alex had a brief relationship with Alexandra Cane during his time on the show Credit: ITV/REX At his lowest ebb, Alex turned to drinking heavily in a bid to numb the pain. His Alex also started taking anti-depressants and launched his campaign 'Post Your Pill' to remove the stigma and shame surrounding the medication. And he got three inspirational tattoos, including one on his left wrist that says 'This too shall pass.' Gut-wrenching phone call Although Alex and Llyr were born ten years apart, they were very close. Alex even chose his brother's unusual name, which means God of the Sea in Welsh. Llyr was due to take up his hard won place at Southampton Medical School when he died. He had no prior history of a diagnosed mental health condition, and had not disclosed how he was feeling. Speaking on his new motivational health podcast Stompcast, Alex added how Llyr's death has changed his own outlook on life. 'My brother was alive one second, we had a phone call, and he is not here any more," he said. 'That is what I am looking out for in everything - my brain is going, 'You weren't prepared, and something really bad happened'. 8 Alex has been open about taking anti-depressants Credit: Instagram 8 After Love Island Alex dated Amelia Bath, but it appears he is currently single Credit: Instagram 'So looking in any situation, 'What is the bad thing here?' 'And it is odd because when I was growing up, I was quite impulsive, I would go for life and do everything. 'Jump now and worry later, and I am so different to that now - since that happened. 'My mum often says, 'That boy within you, I used to say, slow down, think about this twice. It is a shame that has been dwindled a bit'. 'There is this constant need to be sure that everything is going to be ok. You can't.' Former A&E doctor Alex failed to find love in the TV villa, despite a brief fling with brunette beauty Alexandra Cane. My brother was alive one second, we had a phone call, and he is not here any more Dr Alex George Since his stint on the matchmaking show he has gone on to become a mental health advocate, and in 2021 he became the UK Youth Mental Health Ambassador. He said: 'It was really interesting that when I was in med school, the med student's anxiety around health is really common - especially in the first couple of years, you start doing these cases of a new bodily system and disease associated with it. 'Every week I would be like, 'Oh my God I've got it.' 'I think I had every single disease in the first two years - seriously I would have to be like, 'Alex, stop, you are being silly'. 'By the third or fourth year I could have anything, so I stopped worrying about it. 'Everything could kill me, so whatever.' You're Not Alone EVERY 90 minutes in the UK a life is lost to suicide It doesn't discriminate, touching the lives of people in every corner of society – from the homeless and unemployed to builders and doctors, reality stars and footballers. It's the biggest killer of people under the age of 35, more deadly than cancer and car crashes. And men are three times more likely to take their own life than women. Yet it's rarely spoken of, a taboo that threatens to continue its deadly rampage unless we all stop and take notice, now. That is why The Sun launched the You're Not Alone campaign. The aim is that by sharing practical advice, raising awareness and breaking down the barriers people face when talking about their mental health, we can all do our bit to help save lives. Let's all vow to ask for help when we need it, and listen out for others… If you, or anyone you know, needs help dealing with mental health problems, the following organisations provide support: CALM, Heads Together, HUMEN Mind, Papyrus, Samaritans, If you are affected by any of the issues raised in this article, please call the Samaritans for free on 116123. 8 Alex is an advocate for mental health Credit: Instagram
The Sun
06-05-2025
- Entertainment
- The Sun
Love Island's Dr Alex George reveals health update as he opens up on depression & reveals sweet tribute to late brother
DR Alex George has opened up about his ongoing battle with depression and 6st weight gain after his brother's tragic death. The Love Island star, 34, was left completely devastated in 2020 after aspiring doctor Llyr took his own life aged 19. 6 6 The former reality star has now opened up about dealing with his grief and what pulled him through those dark times. Speaking exclusively to The Sun, Alex said: "I went back on antidepressants earlier in the year, it's been a few months now and they've definitely helped. "By nature what's happened in my life, things like losing my brother to suicide, the pandemic, also my makeup - I've got ADHD, although that's not a mental illness, some of the things that are associated with that can definitely make you more likely to struggle. "There are times when I have definitely struggled with it and I'm not ashamed of that, that's why I started the campaign 'Post Your Pill', it's an anti-stigma campaign. "If you need it, then don't be ashamed of it, that's what I want people to feel. "My mental health isn't perfect, some days are better, some days are worse... so is life. "I'm doing my best as everyone else is." Opening up about what pulled him through when he was at his lowest, Alex revealed he got three inspirational tattoos. He said: "The one on my left wrist, 'this too shall pass', I have a sense of belief that there's not permeance to feeling and moments. Love Island's Dr Alex gets tattoo tribute to late brother Llyr a year after he took his own life "That's what's really hard, it's hard for young people especially that feeling what you're feeling right now will be ever, that it won't pass but as you get older you realise as you've gone through times of hardship in your life and good times as well, you realise things do move on, you do get over things that happen. "If you lose a job, you find a new one, if you fail your exam, you learn that you actually get it and it works out. "What is meant to be, is meant to be. That helps. "Family and friends is also really big as well, I think everyone needs at least one person they can talk to when things are really bad. "Having a conversation with someone when you're at your lowest and when you're really low, it can be the difference, it can be life saving. "Sometimes just having a voice outside your head to help you ground there in the moment can make a huge difference. "Family and friends have been really important to me." Alex fondly remembered his little brother and spoke about his legacy five years after his passing. "Llyr and I were very similar, we were 10 years apart and I named him. Llyr means God of the sea in Welsh, I love that name. He was quite annoyed about it when he was younger because people couldn't pronounce it but later in life he learnt to love it," Alex recalled. "But as a person we were actually quite similar, he loved sport like I did, he loved Formula One and cars, he had a place at Southampton medical school - he was going to be a doctor as well. "He was a lovely lovely young man and that's why it's such a difficult loss because it's losing someone who would have been a great part of this community and society. "The legacy is through his memory and remembering him and taking about him and also through action as well, that's why I've gone onto do a lot of the work that I've done. "Those are the legacy I guess, all the work that I do, he is in all of that, I hope through that he kind of lives on in that sense." You're Not Alone EVERY 90 minutes in the UK a life is lost to suicide It doesn't discriminate, touching the lives of people in every corner of society – from the homeless and unemployed to builders and doctors, reality stars and footballers. It's the biggest killer of people under the age of 35, more deadly than cancer and car crashes. And men are three times more likely to take their own life than women. Yet it's rarely spoken of, a taboo that threatens to continue its deadly rampage unless we all stop and take notice, now. That is why The Sun launched the You're Not Alone campaign. The aim is that by sharing practical advice, raising awareness and breaking down the barriers people face when talking about their mental health, we can all do our bit to help save lives. Let's all vow to ask for help when we need it, and listen out for others… You're Not Alone. If you, or anyone you know, needs help dealing with mental health problems, the following organisations provide support: CALM, 0800 585 858 Heads Together, HUMEN Mind, 0300 123 3393 Papyrus, 0800 068 41 41 Samaritans, 116 123 Alex admitted there are times he feels his brother around him at times, especially in moments of hardship and challenges. He shared: "I don't know what I believe in afterlife but I do so many times feel something, certainly that he's with you. "I think big moments in your life or hurdles you're getting over, you kind of think 'oh gosh, I hope you're kind of with me on this one and you're helping me out on this one'. "The most important thing is ensuring someones memory lives on because if their memory lives on, they live forever." Alex's little brother was just 19 when he took his own life, and had been due to start medical. The TV star has said his brother had no prior history of a diagnosed mental health condition, and never disclosed how he was feeling to him or other family members. Alex spoke about how his family cope day-to-day with the loss, saying "There are difficult times and that won't change". He said: "It's a forever experience that never gets better, you learn to live with it in a more conducive way or a way that you can enjoy your life. "My mum and dad do amazing work for mental health, my mum started knitting when my brother died to distract himself and give him something to do and all of a sudden someone was like 'can I buy the gloves you knitted?' but she was like I don't want the money, so she was like 'I'll give it to charity', now they have around 300 knitters and they've raised £100k through knitting, all of the money goes to young peoples charities. "That gives them purpose and I think purpose is very very important, not just when you're going through a difficult time but generally. That's when people struggle, having some reason you get up in the morning with a skip. "There are difficult times, Birthdays are hard, Christmas is hard, anniversary of his passing is hard, that won't change I don't think." Alex, who has teamed up with Bioglan to create an audio running guide where he will share his best advice, motivation, and anecdotes from his time running, has spoken about how he had reached 20st after being "knocked off kilter" following a series of events. The medical professional has since shed the pounds after losing 6st by transforming his diet and lifestyle. Alex shared: "Exercise has become about how I feel - running has changed my life, a few years ago I was 20st in weight, I was definitely out of balance. "I wasn't in balance at that time, I was drinking too much alcohol, I was depressed, I was eating too much, I wasn't exercising enough. I had to address that. "I really first hand have seen how running can change your life. There are other aspects to it, like diet and so on. "I've never been someone weight-centric and throughout my weight loss, I never weighed myself and not until the end and that's only because of ADHD medications - I didn't calorie count. "I looked at my life and said 'am I imbalanced?... am I in a situation where I'm doing things that are conducive of being healthy. "I lost my brother, the pandemic, most of the things that have happened in my life have knocked me out of kilter. "So I looked at my diet fundamentally, 'does the plate look healthy? Is it full of colour?' and I approached eating meals with that view. "I thought I have to move my body everyday, I went for a walk every morning, I went either to the gym or a run most days of the week. "That was the fundamental thing I did, I never counted calories at all. "The other big thing I did was stop drinking and between all of that it changed, not overnight, it took around a year to a year-and-a-half to go from 20st to 14st, it takes a long time but it has made a huge difference. "I live healthier and I've never felt better." Alex has partnered with supplement brand Bioglan for their fourth series of 'In Bioglan Balance' to show how he finds balance in his busy life. With running taking the lead as one of the hottest fitness trends, the guide will encourage people to find balance in all aspects of life by considering a more well-rounded and balanced approach to wellbeing which goes beyond diet and physical exercise. Alex said: "You're a runner if you put one foot in front of the other faster than a walking pace. When you start running you worry about how fast you're going, as soon as you start running you realise all of that stuff is normal. I was walking loads, but it's actually part of that. No one cares, they respect you for being out running. "The hardest part of running is the first few weeks, when your body adapts to it, it gets so much easier." To listen to the series visit Bioglan Supplements Spotify page. 6 6 6
The Irish Sun
06-05-2025
- Entertainment
- The Irish Sun
Love Island's Dr Alex George reveals health update as he opens up on depression & reveals sweet tribute to late brother
DR Alex George has opened up about his ongoing battle with depression and 6st weight gain after his brother's tragic death. The Love Island star, 34, was left completely devastated in 2020 after aspiring doctor Llyr took his own life aged 19. 6 Dr Alex George has opened up about his ongoing battle with depression Credit: Instagram 6 Alex was left completely devastated in 2020 after his brother took his own life Credit: Instagram 6 The Love Island star revealed spoke about his brother's legacy Credit: Instagram The former reality star has now opened up about dealing with his grief and what pulled him through those dark times. Speaking exclusively to The Sun, Alex said: "I went back on antidepressants earlier in the year, it's been a few months now and they've definitely helped. "By nature what's happened in my life, things like losing my brother to suicide, the pandemic, also my makeup - I've got ADHD, although that's not a mental illness, some of the things that are associated with that can definitely make you more likely to struggle. "There are times when I have definitely struggled with it and I'm not ashamed of that, that's why I started the campaign 'Post Your Pill', it's an anti-stigma campaign. READ MORE ON DR ALEX GEORGE "If you need it, then don't be ashamed of it, that's what I want people to feel. "My mental health isn't perfect, some days are better, some days are worse... so is life. "I'm doing my best as everyone else is." Opening up about what pulled him through when he was at his lowest, Alex revealed he got three inspirational tattoos. Most read in News TV He said: "The one on my left wrist, 'this too shall pass', I have a sense of belief that there's not permeance to feeling and moments. Love Island's Dr Alex gets tattoo tribute to late brother Llyr a year after he took his own life "That's what's really hard, it's hard for young people especially that feeling what you're feeling right now will be ever, that it won't pass but as you get older you realise as you've gone through times of hardship in your life and good times as well, you realise things do move on, you do get over things that happen. "If you lose a job, you find a new one, if you fail your exam, you learn that you actually get it and it works out. "What is meant to be, is meant to be. That helps. "Family and friends is also really big as well, I think everyone needs at least one person they can talk to when things are really bad. "Having a conversation with someone when you're at your lowest and when you're really low, it can be the difference, it can be life saving. "Sometimes just having a voice outside your head to help you ground there in the moment can make a huge difference. "Family and friends have been really important to me." Alex fondly remembered his little brother and spoke about his legacy five years after his passing. "Llyr and I were very similar, we were 10 years apart and I named him. Llyr means God of the sea in Welsh, I love that name. He was quite annoyed about it when he was younger because people couldn't pronounce it but later in life he learnt to love it," Alex recalled. "But as a person we were actually quite similar, he loved sport like I did, he loved Formula One and cars, he had a place at Southampton medical school - he was going to be a doctor as well. "He was a lovely lovely young man and that's why it's such a difficult loss because it's losing someone who would have been a great part of this community and society. "The legacy is through his memory and remembering him and taking about him and also through action as well, that's why I've gone onto do a lot of the work that I've done. "Those are the legacy I guess, all the work that I do, he is in all of that, I hope through that he kind of lives on in that sense." You're Not Alone EVERY 90 minutes in the UK a life is lost to suicide It doesn't discriminate, touching the lives of people in every corner of society – from the homeless and unemployed to builders and doctors, reality stars and footballers. It's the biggest killer of people under the age of 35, more deadly than cancer and car crashes. And men are three times more likely to take their own life than women. Yet it's rarely spoken of, a taboo that threatens to continue its deadly rampage unless we all stop and take notice, now. That is why The Sun launched the You're Not Alone campaign. The aim is that by sharing practical advice, raising awareness and breaking down the barriers people face when talking about their mental health, we can all do our bit to help save lives. Let's all vow to ask for help when we need it, and listen out for others… If you, or anyone you know, needs help dealing with mental health problems, the following organisations provide support: CALM, Heads Together, HUMEN Mind, Papyrus, Samaritans, Alex admitted there are times he feels his brother around him at times, especially in moments of hardship and challenges. He shared: "I don't know what I believe in afterlife but I do so many times feel something, certainly that he's with you. "I think big moments in your life or hurdles you're getting over, you kind of think 'oh gosh, I hope you're kind of with me on this one and you're helping me out on this one'. "The most important thing is ensuring someones memory lives on because if their memory lives on, they live forever." Alex's little brother was just 19 when he took his own life, and had been due to start medical. The TV star has said his brother had no prior history of a diagnosed mental health condition, and never disclosed how he was feeling to him or other family members. Alex spoke about how his family cope day-to-day with the loss, saying "There are difficult times and that won't change". He said: "It's a forever experience that never gets better, you learn to live with it in a more conducive way or a way that you can enjoy your life. "My mum and dad do amazing work for mental health, my mum started knitting when my brother died to distract himself and give him something to do and all of a sudden someone was like 'can I buy the gloves you knitted?' but she was like I don't want the money, so she was like 'I'll give it to charity', now they have around 300 knitters and they've raised £100k through knitting, all of the money goes to young peoples charities. "That gives them purpose and I think purpose is very very important, not just when you're going through a difficult time but generally. That's when people struggle, having some reason you get up in the morning with a skip. "There are difficult times, Birthdays are hard, Christmas is hard, anniversary of his passing is hard, that won't change I don't think." Alex, who has teamed up with Bioglan to create an audio running guide where he will share his best advice, motivation, and anecdotes from his time running, has spoken about how he had reached 20st after being "knocked off kilter" following a series of events. The medical professional has since shed the pounds after losing 6st by transforming his diet and lifestyle. Alex shared: "Exercise has become about how I feel - running has changed my life, a few years ago I was 20st in weight, I was definitely out of balance. "I wasn't in balance at that time, I was drinking too much alcohol, I was depressed, I was eating too much, I wasn't exercising enough. I had to address that. "I really first hand have seen how running can change your life. There are other aspects to it, like diet and so on. "I've never been someone weight-centric and throughout my weight loss, I never weighed myself and not until the end and that's only because of ADHD medications - I didn't calorie count. "I looked at my life and said 'am I imbalanced?... am I in a situation where I'm doing things that are conducive of being healthy. "I lost my brother, the pandemic, most of the things that have happened in my life have knocked me out of kilter. "So I looked at my diet fundamentally, 'does the plate look healthy? Is it full of colour?' and I approached eating meals with that view. "I thought I have to move my body everyday, I went for a walk every morning, I went either to the gym or a run most days of the week. "That was the fundamental thing I did, I never counted calories at all. "The other big thing I did was stop drinking and between all of that it changed, not overnight, it took around a year to a year-and-a-half to go from 20st to 14st, it takes a long time but it has made a huge difference. "I live healthier and I've never felt better." Alex has partnered with supplement brand Bioglan for their fourth series of 'In Bioglan Balance' to show how he finds balance in his busy life. With running taking the lead as one of the hottest fitness trends, the guide will encourage people to find balance in all aspects of life by considering a more well-rounded and balanced approach to wellbeing which goes beyond diet and physical exercise. Alex said: "You're a runner if you put one foot in front of the other faster than a walking pace. When you start running you worry about how fast you're going, as soon as you start running you realise all of that stuff is normal. I was walking loads, but it's actually part of that. No one cares, they respect you for being out running. "The hardest part of running is the first few weeks, when your body adapts to it, it gets so much easier." To listen to the series visit Bioglan Supplements Spotify page. 6 The TV star said he has started antidepressants again earlier this year Credit: dralexgeorge/Instagram 6 Alex spoke about how his family cope day-to-day with the loss Credit: Instagram/dralexgeorge 6 The doctor was at 20st when he was at his lowest Credit: dralexgeorge/Instagram
