GOWERTON: Sinkhole closes lane on main route to Dunvant — commuters warned to expect delays as month-old warning becomes reality

Drivers using one of the main routes out of Gowerton are being warned to expect delays after a sinkhole opened up on the road heading towards Dunvant.

The hole appeared on Cecil Road — the B4296 — just south of Gowerton Comprehensive School’s main gate, heading in the direction of Dunvant.

Lane closed, lights in place

Temporary traffic lights have been put in place at the site, with one lane closed off around the hole. Officers from South Wales Police were on the scene yesterday evening with vehicles positioned to manage traffic past the closure.

Cllr Andrew Williams, who represents the neighbouring Penclawdd ward and serves as Swansea Council’s Cabinet Member for Development, also confirmed the closure on Facebook last night, alerting residents to the disruption and warning that delays are likely during the morning commute.

In a post on a local community group, Cllr Williams said temporary lights had been installed and one lane was closed, adding that highways engineers were expected to attend in the morning to assess the damage.

A separate report from local resident Paul Terry, shared in another Gowerton community Facebook group, also confirmed the hole had appeared roughly 200 to 300 yards past the school’s main gate heading towards Dunvant.

Spotted weeks ago by local residents

The Cecil Road sinkhole did not appear overnight. A post in the Gowerton Residents Facebook group on 27 April flagged a “wet patch sinking day by day in the middle of the road heading towards Garrod Avenue,” opposite Gowerton Comprehensive School — the same spot where the road has now collapsed.

Local resident Ramsey Awad, who flagged the deteriorating road surface, said at the time he had passed the warning on to local councillors and predicted a road closure “in the near future.”

Replying in the same group, Cllr Susan Jones — Independent councillor for Gowerton ward and the newly-named Deputy Lord Mayor of Swansea — said she had passed the matter on to Swansea Council’s Highways team for inspection.

Swansea Bay News has approached Swansea Council to ask what action was taken between the original report and the road’s collapse.

Key commuter route

Cecil Road forms part of the B4296, one of the principal routes linking Gowerton to Dunvant, and continues as Garrod Avenue as it heads south towards Dunvant village.

The road carries significant volumes of commuter traffic during morning and evening peaks, with parents and pupils heading to Gowerton Comprehensive School also affected.

Alternative routes between the two villages are limited, with most options involving narrow single-track lanes — meaning traffic is likely to back up at the temporary lights through the morning rush.

What happens next

Highways engineers from Swansea Council are expected to visit the site this morning to determine the cause of the sinkhole and the scale of repairs required.

Sinkholes on residential roads can be caused by a range of factors, including failure of underground utility infrastructure, water main leaks, or the collapse of older drainage culverts. The “wet patch” reported by residents weeks ago will be of particular interest to engineers in determining the cause.

The duration of the closure will depend on what is found beneath the surface. Some sinkhole repairs can be completed within a single working day; others — particularly those linked to deeper infrastructure failures — can require lane closures lasting days or even weeks.

Swansea Council has been approached for an updated statement.

This is a breaking story. Swansea Bay News will update as further information becomes available from the council and highways engineers.

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Swansea schoolboy, 9, runs 100km in 30 days and raises over £2,000 for Kids Cancer Charity

Osian Window, a pupil at Dunvant Primary School and a member of Dunvant RFC’s Under 10s, originally set out to run 1km every day for a month. What started as a tough personal challenge quickly turned into something far bigger, with Osian pushing through winter rain, wind and freezing temperatures to keep his promise.

He crossed the finish line on Saturday (January 17) with a determined 5km run that took him straight through Dunvant RFC during half‑time of the first team’s match against Aberystwyth. Supporters lined the route, with players, coaches and families giving him a huge cheer as he raced past the clubhouse. A crowd also gathered outside the Killay shopping precinct to spur him on during the final stretch.

Osian with his mum and dad at Dunvant Rugby Club, surrounded by supporters who turned out to cheer him on during his final run. (Image: Supplied)

Osian had hoped to raise £100 for Kids Cancer Charity. Instead, donations poured in from teammates, neighbours, school friends and people across Swansea, pushing his total past £2,000.

“I wanted to help children who are going through something really hard,” he said. “Some days the weather was horrible, but I didn’t want to give up. It felt amazing to finish my last run and see everyone cheering. Thank you to everyone who donated.”

His mum Catherine said the family had been blown away by his determination.

“We are unbelievably proud of Osian. He showed incredible commitment throughout the whole challenge, especially on the days when it would have been so easy to stay indoors. The support he’s had from the community and from Dunvant RFC has been overwhelming.”

Osian looks back at the camera as he runs past supporters at Dunvant Rugby Club during the final stretch of his 30‑day challenge. (Image: Supplied)

Dunvant RFC’s Junior Section praised the young runner for embodying the club’s values. Mike Arnold said Osian was “a brilliant example of what our club stands for — community spirit, hard work and looking out for others,” adding that his effort over the past 30 days was “remarkable for someone so young”.

“He’s an inspiration to his teammates and to all of us at Dunvant RFC,” he said.

Donations to support Osian’s challenge can still be made at: https://gofund.me/f74e8b850

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Ystradgynlais man jailed for decade of child sexual abuse

Court case

Kerry James Price, 53, of Tan y Farteg, Ystradgynlais, was convicted of 15 sexual offences following a trial at Swansea Crown Court. The offending began when the victim was around five years old and continued into her teenage years.

Price, who previously ran computer repair shops in Ystradgynlais, Bridgend and Dunvant before working as an IT technician at Swansea University, denied all the allegations but was found guilty by a jury.

He was sentenced to an extended 14‑year term — comprising nine years in custody and a further five years on licence — and made subject to an indefinite Sexual Harm Prevention Order.

Pattern of abuse

The court heard how Price manipulated his victim with “games” before escalating to repeated sexual assaults. He also secretly took indecent photographs, including so‑called “upskirting” images, and was found with 25 indecent images of children on his phone, including Category A material.

The abuse came to light after the victim disclosed what had happened to her grandmother, who then informed her mother. Police arrested Price in August 2023.

Police statement

Detective Constable Stuart Sandy of South Wales Police said:

“Kerry Price showed no remorse at all for his actions, as is evidenced with his not guilty pleas. He thought he could get away with what he had done, but he was proven badly wrong.

He abused his victim for a period not far off a decade, starting when they were a young child. What he has done is sickening and will have been a horrendously traumatic experience for both the victim and her family. The victim and her family showed great strength by giving evidence at trial, compared to the defendant, whose defence the judge said, ‘at times bordered on the farcical’.

Prison is the right place for him, and it is great to see him get an extended sentence.”

Judge’s remarks

Sentencing, Judge Paul Thomas KC described Price’s behaviour as “utterly depraved” and said he had “not a scintilla of remorse”. He told the defendant he was motivated entirely by self‑interest, adding: “All you have is a deep well of self pity.”

Victim impact

In a statement read to the court, the victim described Price as a “child predator” who thrived on control and grooming. She said the abuse had robbed her of her childhood and left her constantly looking over her shoulder.

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