Latest news with #MerthyrTydfil
The Sun
2 days ago
- Health
- The Sun
Grandmother, 57, dies after ‘trapped nerve' mistakenly blamed for her back pain and headaches
A GRAN passed away after her back pain was initially dismissed as a 'trapped nerve'. Helen Arthur, 57, first became unwell on Good Friday in April 2019, experiencing persistent back pain and visual disturbances. 6 6 6 Her GP put it down to a trapped nerve but Helen's condition didn't improve. After developing headaches, Helen had an eye test, and her optician thought she may have suffered a minor stroke, so sent her to hospital. A CT scan revealed a mass on Helen's brain and she was diagnosed with a glioblastoma, an aggressive and incurable brain tumour. In May 2019, Helen underwent surgery to remove the tumour, followed by six months of combined chemotherapy and radiotherapy. But a routine monitoring scan in 2021 showed the tumour had grown back and Helen underwent another course of combined radiotherapy and chemotherapy. Another MRI scan revealed Helen had multiple inoperable tumours and her condition deteriorated too quickly to treat. Helen, from Merthyr Tydfil, Wales, died in May 2022, three years after her initial surgery. Her husband Brent Arthur said: "We were told Helen had a brain tumour which was a complete shock. "The doctors said most people survive just two to three years. "Words left me, I was speechless. "We were told there would be a recurrence, but it took us by surprise, we thought we had more time." It comes after the NHS launched a new immunotherapy trial to treat glioblastoma and is seeking people to take part in it - after one patient saw his disease vanish. After Helen's first CT scan, at Prince Charles Hospital in Wales in Merthyr Tydfil, which revealed a mass, she was transferred to the University Hospital of Wales in Cardiff. Brent recalled getting the awful phone call from his son, revealing the devastating news in May 2019. He said: "I wasn't feeling well so I went to bed and expected our son Benjamin and Helen to be home within a couple of hours. 6 6 "I got a call from Benjamin saying I needed to go to the hospital. "Confused as to what could be wrong, I went. "That was when our lives changed." Helen's initial surgery and six months of combined chemotherapy and radiotherapy were thought to have been a success. She was monitored with quarterly scans as she continued to live an active life, and spend time with her family and her grandchildren. In late 2021, one of these scans showed the cancer had come back. Helen underwent another course of combined radiotherapy and chemotherapy but an MRI scan in April 2022 revealed multiple inoperable tumours had developed. Just a week later, Helen's original pathology results showed she had a one-in-three million genetic mutation, which might respond to targeted medication. She never got to enjoy the role she was so excited for. All she ever wanted was to be a young nan, but this cruel disease robbed her of that Brent Arthur Sadly, by this point, Helen's condition had deteriorated, and treatment was not possible. Brent said: "We were all shocked and devastated. "We spent as much time together as possible, with the children and grandchildren. "Seeing Helen decline was difficult for us all." Helen is survived by husband Brent as well as children Emily, 35, and Benjamin, 33, and grandchildren Penny, six, Nora, four, Isaac, three, and Rhoda, one. Brent said: "Helen lived for her family. "She was looking forward to reducing her work hours so she could help care for our grandchildren. "That's what hurts the most, she never got to enjoy the role she was so excited for. "All she ever wanted was to be a young nan, but this cruel disease robbed her of that." Push for a cure Brent and his family have now raised more than £5,700 for Brain Tumour Research, enough to fund two days of research at one of the charity 's Centres of Excellence. On Father's Day on June 15, Brent completed a 10,000-foot skydive in Helen's memory. Brent said: "Our family has been robbed of a wife, mother and grandmother, and more funding is desperately needed for research. "Without it, other families will continue to face the same heartbreak we've been going through." Each year in the UK, around 3,200 people are diagnosed with glioblastoma, yet just 160 will survive five years or more. What are the symptoms of glioblastoma and how soon do they show? Glioblastomas are the most common brain tumour in adults, while also being very aggressive and deadly. Brain Tumour Research says tumours increase pressure in the skull, causing headaches. Symptoms to look for are: Headaches Loss of appetite Nausea and vomiting Loss of balance Mood swings Problems speaking Problems with memory or concentration Seizures Impaired vision The symptoms can initially be quite non-specific, meaning they could be mistaken for lots of other conditions- even stress or a hangover. The brain controls so many different functions that symptoms can vary greatly depending on where in the brain the tumour is. Glioblastomas are very fast growing. Once found, experts can see them double within seven weeks. But, according to Dr Stephen Bagley, assistant professor of medicine at Penn Medicine, the first spark of glioblastoma in the brain remains something of a mystery to medical experts. One study concluded that a glioblastoma starts growing 330 days on average - almost a year - before a diagnosis. Another found that there are changes in immune function up to five years before a diagnosis, with markers in blood samples - but symptoms only occur three months prior. Glioblastoma accounts for one in three primary brain tumour diagnoses, and current treatment offers little in the way of long-term hope. Letty Greenfield, community development manager at Brain Tumour Research, said: "Helen's story is heartbreaking and all too common. "Glioblastoma is an aggressive brain cancer with limited treatment options and a devastating prognosis. "We are incredibly grateful to Brent and his family for honouring Helen's memory through their fundraising. "It's support like this that helps us push for better outcomes and ultimately a cure." 6
Daily Mail
16-07-2025
- Daily Mail
Moment thief smashes glass cabinet and steals £80,000 candelabra inside historic castle - as he is jailed for almost three years
An antique thief was caught on camera smashing a glass cabinet at a historic castle to steal a £80,000 candelabra in front of sixty school children. Henry Tyson Whilser, 31, travelled 150 miles to Cyfarthfa Castle in Merthyr Tydfil, South Wales, to steal the 200-year-old antique treasure. CCTV cameras followed him into the castle before he used a brick to smash the glass display cabinet holding valuable heirlooms. In the brazen act caught on camera, Wilsher entered the castle on April 8 during an event where local primary school children were presenting their projects to judges and guests. He talked to the receptionist before making his way to the Crawshay Room, where he broke into the display cabinet to take the candelabra, which has a value of around £80,000. The candelabra dates back 200 years, when the castle was owned by the Crawshay family. Following the theft, Wilsher fled the castle, escaping in a silver Ford Fiesta that had been stolen on March 24 when a delivery driver left the car running with the keys still in the ignition while making a delivery. On the night of the theft, the car was recorded on dashcam footage from an approaching car as it sped away through the one-way entry system of the castle's car park. South Wales Police then launched an appeal to try and find him, and he was traced 150 miles away after a store owner noticed his distinctive shoes. On April 9, the owner of Sole Mate, a shoe store located in Pontmorlais, Merthyr, contacted officers through a Live Chat service after seeing a media appeal which included an image of the suspect wearing a baseball cap and shoes. The shop owner believed these shoes closely resembled a pair he had sold to a man just days earlier and provided a statement regarding the connection. Wilsher, of Bagworth, Leicestershire was sentenced to 32 months at Teeside Crown Court on Thursday. He pleaded guilty to theft, receiving stolen good and criminal damage. Sergeant Watts of South Wales Police said: 'This was a brazen theft in broad daylight, that left a group of school children shocked and upset. 'Through the work of the investigation team, we were able to identify Tyson Wilsher and bring him to justice, Wilsher's actions show he believed he was above the law and didn't care about how his actions impacted the venue. 'I'm pleased to see the sentence determined by the courts.' Merthyr Tydfil Council leader Brent Carter said: 'It was awful. There were sixty school children here from Cyfarthfa Park Primary. 'They were here enjoying themselves, looking around the museum, and a gentleman came in, picked a house brick out of his pocket, and smashed the casing, tore back the glass and stole the candelabra.' Cyfarthfa Castle was built in 1825 as a castellated mansion home for industry boss William Crawshay II who owned the nearby ironworks and was known as the 'iron king'. It is now a museum and art gallery which is open to the public all year round.
Yahoo
13-07-2025
- Health
- Yahoo
I'd just had a baby and life seemed perfect – then I got the worst possible news
Having a baby is supposed to be one of the most joyous occasions imaginable. But for Beth Jenkins it brought a world of pain she would never have expected. While 40-year-old Beth had the delight of her second daughter Robyn she believes her pregnancy caused her to have breast cancer, which was not initially spotted by a doctor who told her she was "too young" to have it. Knowing that cancer can happen to anyone of any age, and sticking with her intuition when she found a lump in her breast, Beth fought for answers. In 2018 Beth, from Merthyr Tydfil, found a lump in her breast that was determined to be a fat tissue lump. Stay informed on everything Merthyr Tydfil by signing up to our newsletter here. She went on to give birth to her daughter Robyn in 2023. As she was set to return to work the following year she noticed the lump in her breast had grown and become painful after her daughter had kicked her in the chest. After being examined by a doctor she was told it was just an infection and that she was "too young to have breast cancer". Beth felt this diagnosis could be wrong and more needed to be done to determine what the lump was. She said: "They were quite dismissive and passive. They began asking me questions about my postnatal depression but it was a physical lump that he felt so I don't know what that would have had to do with it." A few weeks later at a check-up for her daughter Beth expressed her concern to another doctor who told her she should have been immediately referred to the hospital for a scan. Contacting her own doctor once again Beth was referred to a breast clinic that was able to see her within two weeks. Taking her dad along she was hoping for answers that would put her mind at rest. But after an examination was followed by an ultrasound and a mammogram a consultant told the mum-of-two she had breast cancer. A biopsy followed and two weeks later Beth and her husband Lee spoke with the consultant to confirm the type of breast cancer and discuss a treatment plan. Beth was told that the cancer was ER-positive, PR-positive, and HER2-negative, meaning that it was brought on by her hormones that had changed during pregnancy. "I didn't have a clue that this could happen – that's what's scary," she said. Her biopsy also confirmed that the cancer had spread. "If I hadn't have gone back to the doctors and I hadn't listened to my body I don't know where I'd be now," she added. "It had already spread to my lymph nodes. If I had listened when I was told it was an infection I would be looking at a totally different story now." In December 2024 the tumour in Beth's breast was 5cm which meant that she had to have a full breast mastectomy with reconstruction as well as having lymph nodes removed from her arm. Although she was still recovering from surgery she had on December 18 Beth managed to cook a full Christmas dinner for her family to keep everything "as normal as possible" for her nine-year-old daughter Fallon. After starting extensive chemotherapy in February this year Beth currently has two sessions left before she will need radiotherapy, hormonotherapy, and bone therapy. Due to the cancer being caused by hormonal changes Beth will also be put into early menopause as there is a high risk of the cancer returning when her hormones change. Beth has said one of the hardest experiences throughout the process was having to tell her daughter that she had cancer, which she did as hair began to fall out during her treatment. Beth's daughter Fallon had already witnessed the effects of cancer as her grandfather, Beth's father, has had cancer seven times. Beth said: "With my dad having cancer seven times she's seen that cancer doesn't mean you're going to die. If anything it helped the situation to say: 'Look – he's had cancer and he's still here'." Throughout her diagnosis Beth has remained brave and shown her two daughters that while you can't control whether you have cancer or not you can control your mindset. She said: "The word cancer is scary enough. She's being pulled out of classes in school because she gets upset and she is having support in school. "She is really sensitive and she does break down crying but I tell her that everything will be all right. "It is hard." Get daily breaking news updates on your phone by joining our WhatsApp community here. We occasionally treat members to special offers, promotions and ads from us and our partners. See our Privacy Notice.
The Sun
12-07-2025
- The Sun
I found my nan's semi-naked body after she was killed by tights fetish maniac.. and then he moved down the road from me
AS she walked into her grandmother's silent house, young Sharon Owens had a sense of foreboding. It had been a sanctuary to the 12-year-old since her dad died, but was to become a place that would haunt her for ever. 6 6 It was December 1985 and Sharon had just finished her paper round when she entered the living room to find the bludgeoned body of her nana Glenys on the floor. The 67-year-old had been raped, killed and left wearing nothing but her pants and a pair of tights by a murderer with a twisted fetish. Almost 40 years on, Sharon was rocked to the core when she discovered not only that the killer had been released from prison, but that he was located just 30 minutes from where she now lived. 'Nana was my entire world, my everything,' says Sharon, 52. 'It's nearly 40 years since I've felt her comforting arms around me. She was like a tiny bird, so petite at 4ft 9in tall, but she had the biggest heart I've ever known. 'That terrible day on December 13, 1985, will haunt me for ever.' Glenys had been Sharon's saviour after her father, John — who was Glenys's son — had died three years earlier of cancer, aged 41. Her mum, Beryl, had struggled and was emotionally distant. The family home was chaotic, so Sharon moved in with Glenys in Merthyr Tydfil, South Wales. 'My nana had become my sanctuary after losing my dad,' says Sharon, who was one of six children. 'Her three-bedroom house was filled with warmth. 'She didn't have much money, but she had a little leather purse she'd fill with coins and then give to me to spend when it was full. 'Mushroom killer' Erin Patterson GUILTY of murdering three relatives with deadly beef wellington 'She'd buy me Breakaway chocolate biscuits and we'd snuggle on the sofa watching EastEnders. 'She taught me life skills, too. How to be independent, how to manage money and, crucially, how to love and care for others.' Earlier that fateful day, Sharon had popped in after school to tell her grandmother she would be doing her paper round before heading back for dinner. 'Nana was always happy to see me and gave me a big hug,' she recalls. But Glenys was not alone. Donald Sheridan, a friend of Sharon's older brother, was at the house. 'He didn't say anything, he just stared at me,' says Sharon. 'Nana loved everyone, but I knew she wasn't keen on Donald. She didn't like my brother being friends with him, but she'd welcomed him in with her kind nature.' It was 9pm when Sharon returned to Glenys's house and tried to let herself in. She says: 'Nana always left a key on a string behind the front door. You could put your hand through the letter box and retrieve it. 'But when I put my hand through as usual, there was no key. I looked through the letter box and called out, but there was no answer, despite the living room and landing light being on.' 'She'd buy me Breakaway chocolate biscuits and we'd snuggle on the sofa watching EastEnders. 'She taught me life skills, too. How to be independent, how to manage money and, crucially, how to love and care for others.' Earlier that fateful day, Sharon had popped in after school to tell her grandmother she would be doing her paper round before heading back for dinner. 'Nana was always happy to see me and gave me a big hug,' she recalls. But Glenys was not alone. Donald Sheridan, a friend of Sharon's older brother, was at the house. 'He didn't say anything, he just stared at me,' says Sharon. 'Nana loved everyone, but I knew she wasn't keen on Donald. She didn't like my brother being friends with him, but she'd welcomed him in with her kind nature.' It was 9pm when Sharon returned to Glenys's house and tried to let herself in. She says: 'Nana always left a key on a string behind the front door. You could put your hand through the letter box and retrieve it. 'But when I put my hand through as usual, there was no key. I looked through the letter box and called out, but there was no answer, despite the living room and landing light being on.' We walked into the house together and found Nana dead, semi-naked in front of the fire in her living room. I just screamed and screamed. 'I was thrust into a world without the unconditional love and the security Nana had given me, forced to move back into an uncaring home.' 'I didn't pass any of my exams, I truanted and I left aged 15 without any qualifications. I didn't care about anything,' she says. 'I experienced flashbacks and felt guilty for not being at home to protect Nana.' As Sharon grew into a young woman, she tried to put Sheridan to the back of her mind. She says: 'I got married and had two children. But thoughts of my nana were always with me.' Then, in 2021, a conversation with a relative spurred Sharon to search for Sheridan online. 'I felt a cold chill as his name popped up in a news article,' she says. 'I was shocked and extremely angry to read he had been released in May 2019.' The Ministry of Justice has told us Sharon was not notified of the release because when Sheridan was jailed, there was no victim support scheme in place. Sharon, now living in North Yorkshire, was horrified to discover that her grandmother's killer had been housed in a hostel just 30 minutes from her own home. Worse still, he had struck again within a month of being freed, brutally attacking a mum. She learned that Sheridan had been drinking rum at his probation hostel in Leeds, defying an alcohol ban, before taking money to meet a female sex worker. The woman made a phone call while they were behind a skip in a commercial yard and they began to fight, before some men turned up and stole Sheridan's money. Later, he grabbed a woman around the neck as she walked home from the gym, forcing her into a bush. He then made her put on two pairs of tights and asked her to perform a sex act. The victim only managed to escape when a dog walker passed by. Sheridan was caught after police found the tights at the scene, with his DNA. Under questioning, he told detectives the victim was not 'my type' and he probably would have raped and killed her if she was older. 6 6 Sheridan also admitted he'd had a fetish for women in their sixties and seventies ever since he had seen a naked nun when he was in care as a child. He had stolen her tights and wore them to bed. Since then, he had carried women's tights around with him and had urges to rape and kill. On his first court appearance for the latter attack, he even tried to strangle a female dock officer when she took him back to his cell. In 2019, at Leeds crown court, Sheridan admitted robbery, false imprisonment, committing an offence with intent to commit a sexual offence and assault occasioning actual bodily harm. 'COLD CHILL' He was given sentences of 11 years and life with a minimum of five and a half years. The judge said he should only be considered for parole if he 'is so enfeebled by age that he is no longer able to pose a danger'. But Sharon worries that he will be released at the end of his sentence, if not sooner, given the growing pressure to let prisoners out early due to overcrowding. While he could, in theory, be managed in the community, the Probation Service in England and Wales is already in crisis. An annual report released in April found that the service has too few staff with too little experience and training. Martin Jones, the chief inspector of probation, said that attempts to 'keep others safe' are 'consistently insufficient'. Sharon says: 'It beggars belief that this monster was deemed safe to be let out. I feel very angry that I was never even informed and to discover he was living so close to me . . . there are no words. 'He could have come to find me, as I was the main witness in the trial. Learning he had been released unleashed flashbacks and all sorts of trauma that I had tried to mask for years.' It beggars belief that this monster was deemed safe to be let out. Sharon In February this year, Sheridan, 61, was eligible for parole again and Sharon successfully begged the authorities not to make the same mistake as last time, submitting a powerful victim statement. His 11-year sentence is due to end in 2030, and he has served his minimum life term, so he will be able to apply for parole once more. A spokesperson for the Parole Board said: 'The board has a thorough review process which closely examines and scrutinises any parole release decision after a serious further offence. 'This involves outside experts, judges, psychologists, psychiatrists, as well as senior management, and is in place to identify any lessons that could help prevent further tragedies.' Sharon admits she finds the thought of Sheridan being back on the streets 'utterly terrifying'. She says: 'This man is a real danger to women. He is evil, dangerous and has no conscience. 'Meanwhile, I've spent almost 40 years having vivid nightmares about finding Nana's body. 'This man can never be released. He will kill again, I know it.'
Yahoo
12-07-2025
- Yahoo
Major police search launched after boy, 11, goes missing
UPDATE: Police have now confirmed Artur has been found. South Wales Police has issued an urgent appeal for information after an 11-year-old boy disappeared in Merthyr Tydfil. Artur, from Dowlais, was last seen near Pandy Close at around 4.40pm. He was wearing a red t-shirt and blue shorts and has dark, close-cut hair. Stay informed on everything Merthyr Tydfil by signing up to our newsletter here READ MORE: Police issue update on search for boy, 11, who has been reported missing READ MORE: Man, 25, dies after falling from hotel balcony in Malta It is understood that many members of the local community are out searching for Artur, and a police helicopter has been deployed. A spokesperson for South Wales Police said: "Help us find Artur, 11, missing from Dowlais, MerthyrTydfil. "Artur was last seen at 4.40pm near the riverside on Pandy Close, Merthyr Tydfil. "He was wearing a red t-shirt and blue shorts. He is 5'1" tall, of slight build, with dark close-cut hair. "If you have seen Artur, or have any information which will help us to find him, please contact us quoting ref: 2500220767 . "You can contact us on online via our website, by calling 101, or by phoning Crimestoppers, anonymously on 0800 555111." Get daily breaking news updates on your phone by joining our WhatsApp community here. We occasionally treat members to special offers, promotions and ads from us and our partners. See our Privacy Notice
