Bonnie Tyler out of coma but ‘very unwell’ as Skewen-born singer cancels summer shows

Bonnie Tyler is no longer in a coma but remains “very unwell” in intensive care in Portugal, her family has said.

In a statement on Monday, the Skewen-born singer’s family and team said her condition was improving, though it was “a slow process”.

They said her doctors remained confident she would make a good recovery, but that it was “going to take time”.

As a result, the family has cancelled or postponed all of the 74-year-old’s remaining shows this summer, affecting every date until the end of August.

They said they were still hopeful that her autumn shows would be able to go ahead.

“We apologise to all of Bonnie’s fans and to our promoter partners for the disappointment that this will cause,” the statement read, “but trust that you will understand and bear with us in these difficult circumstances.”

The family thanked supporters for the “huge outpouring of love and support from all over the world”, adding that the singer was aware of, and very grateful for, the good wishes.

They again asked for privacy, and promised further updates when there was significant news to share.

How we got here

Tyler — born Gaynor Hopkins in Neath — was admitted to Faro Hospital in the Algarve in early May for emergency surgery after her appendix was found to have burst.

The operation was initially said to have gone well, but her condition later deteriorated and she was placed into an induced coma as doctors worked to control a serious infection.

Days later, her family confirmed she remained “seriously ill but stable” — and hit out at “lurid and untrue rumours” circulating in the media, asking for speculation to stop and for the family’s privacy to be respected.

Monday’s statement is the first confirmation that she has come out of the coma.

The girl from Skewen

Born into a coal mining family in 1951, Tyler grew up in a council house in Skewen before being discovered by a talent scout at a Swansea club in the mid-1970s.

She launched her recording career with Lost in France in 1976, but it was Total Eclipse of the Heart in 1983 that made her a global superstar, topping the charts on both sides of the Atlantic.

The song has since become one of the best-selling singles of all time, passing one billion streams on Spotify last year.

Her distinctive husky voice — one of the most recognisable in pop — was the result of throat surgery in the 1970s, after she defied doctors’ orders to rest and spoke anyway, accidentally creating her trademark sound.

Among her other hits are It’s a Heartache and Holding Out for a Hero, from the 1984 film Footloose. She represented the UK at Eurovision in 2013.

Now splitting her time between Mumbles and the Algarve, Tyler was appointed MBE in 2022 for services to music and has been named a Freeman of Neath Port Talbot.

She had been due to perform more than two dozen shows across Europe this year before her health scare.

Our Bonnie Tyler coverage

Bonnie Tyler remains ‘seriously ill but stable’ as family hits out at ‘lurid and untrue rumours’
The family’s appeal for privacy as false rumours circulated in the media.

Bonnie Tyler placed in induced coma as Skewen-born singer’s condition worsens
When her condition deteriorated after surgery.

Bonnie Tyler recovering after emergency surgery as fans send get-well wishes to the girl from Skewen
When news of her hospitalisation first broke and south Wales rallied round.

SKEWEN: Crews tackle huge recycling centre fire at Neath Abbey Wharf involving 150 tonnes of waste

Firefighters spent a full day tackling a significant fire at a recycling centre in Skewen, which broke out as the service was also fighting a major blaze at the Tata steelworks in Port Talbot.

Mid and West Wales Fire and Rescue Service was called to the recycling centre at Neath Abbey Wharf, near Neath, at 5.30am on Thursday, June 4.

Crews found a significant fire involving a large quantity of waste material measuring roughly 75 metres by 40 metres, and estimated to contain around 150 tonnes of recyclable waste.

At the height of the incident, multiple appliances were in attendance from across the service, with support from South Wales Fire and Rescue Service.

Firefighters used 12 breathing apparatus sets, along with two ground monitors and two main jets, to bring the fire under control.

The blaze required a sustained operational response throughout the day, with a “stop” message — confirming the fire was under control — received at 5.27pm.

Crews from Neath, Port Talbot, Swansea Central, Morriston, Pontardawe and Haverfordwest fire stations were among those mobilised to the scene during the incident.

The recycling centre fire came on a demanding day for the fire service, which was simultaneously dealing with a separate major incident some miles away.

Through Wednesday night and into Thursday, crews were also tackling a major fire at the Tata Steel works in Port Talbot, which drew more than 100 firefighters from across Wales and the West of England.

The fire service said the two incidents were entirely separate, and that no appliances or officers were redeployed from the Tata response to deal with the Skewen fire.

It said that while the number and complexity of incidents overnight had increased demand on its control room, it had maintained effective operational cover across its area throughout.

“This period has demonstrated the strength of our operational capability, partnership working and the dedication of our staff,” a spokesperson said.

It is the second major fire involving large quantities of waste in the wider area in little more than a month. At the end of April, a fire involving around 200 tonnes of commercial waste sent black smoke billowing over Port Talbot from an industrial site on Dock Road.

Large fires involving baled or loose recyclable waste can be particularly stubborn, as material packed tightly together can continue to smoulder deep within a pile long after the visible flames have been knocked down.

Residents in the area were advised to keep windows and doors closed while the fire was burning.

The cause of the Neath Abbey Wharf fire has not been confirmed.

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Bonnie Tyler placed in induced coma as Skewen-born singer’s condition worsens after Portugal surgery

Bonnie Tyler has been placed into an induced coma in intensive care as her condition has worsened – just days after emergency intestinal surgery in Portugal.

The 74-year-old Skewen-born singer was rushed to Faro Hospital on 30 April after experiencing severe abdominal pain at her home in the Algarve.

Surgery to treat a perforated intestine had initially been described by her spokesperson as successful, with the singer said to be recuperating well.

But Tyler’s condition has taken a serious turn for the worse over the past few hours.

A spokesperson confirmed on Thursday evening that the global icon had been placed into an induced coma to support her recovery.

“Bonnie has been put into an induced coma by her doctors to aid her recovery,” the spokesperson said.

The spokesperson asked for privacy at what they described as a difficult time. “We know that you all wish her well and ask for privacy at this difficult time please. We will issue a further statement when we are able to,” they said.

Portuguese newspaper Correio da Manhã has reported that the singer has been moved from the intermediate care unit at Faro Hospital to the intensive care ward.

She is understood to require mechanical ventilation while she remains unconscious.

Born Gaynor Hopkins in Skewen in 1951, Tyler grew up in a council house in the Neath area before being discovered by talent scout Roger Bell at a Swansea club in the mid-1970s.

She launched her recording career with Lost in France in 1976, but it was Total Eclipse of the Heart in 1983 that cemented her status as a global superstar – spending two weeks at number one in the UK and four weeks at the top of the US charts.

The track has since become one of the most enduring pop songs of all time, passing the one billion streams mark on Spotify last year.

Tyler has been open about her health in recent years, but had recently said her main issues were with her knees – for which she had a surgical procedure that she described as successful.

Earlier this year she said she was quite fit for her age and had no intention of retiring. “I’m never going to retire. I look at Tom Jones. He’s amazing,” she said.

Her diary for the rest of the year had included a major performance at Malta’s SummerLUST Music Festival on 22 May, plus tour dates across Germany, Hungary, Czechia, Scotland and Turkey.

Those engagements now hang in the balance.

Tyler splits her time between her home in Mumbles and the Algarve, where she has lived since 1988.

Fans across Wales and around the world have been sending messages of support since news of her hospitalisation broke earlier this week.

Tyler has been married to property developer Robert Sullivan since 1973.

A further statement on her condition is expected when her family and medical team are able to provide one.

NEATH: Bonnie Tyler recovering after emergency surgery in Portugal — as fans send get-well wishes to the girl from Skewen

Bonnie Tyler is recovering in hospital after undergoing emergency intestinal surgery in Portugal.

The 74-year-old Welsh icon – born Gaynor Hopkins in Skewen, Neath – was admitted to Faro Hospital in the Algarve, where she has owned a home since 1988.

Reports suggest she had been experiencing severe abdominal pain before seeking medical help, and was taken in for urgent surgery to treat an intestinal perforation.

A spokesperson said the surgery had gone well. “We are very sorry to announce that Bonnie has been admitted to hospital in Faro, Portugal, where she has a home, for emergency intestinal surgery,” they said. “The surgery went well and she is now recuperating.”

The spokesperson added that family, friends and fans would be wishing her well. “We know that all of her family, friends, and fans will be concerned about this news and will be wishing her well for a full and swift recovery,” they said.

Tyler is currently in the intermediate care unit of the hospital’s emergency department, with her condition described as stable.

Born and raised in Skewen, Tyler now shares her time between her home in Mumbles and the Algarve.

Born into a coal mining family in 1951, she grew up in a council house in Skewen before being discovered by talent scout Roger Bell at a Swansea club in the mid-1970s.

She launched her recording career with Lost in France in 1976, but it was Total Eclipse of the Heart in 1983 that made her a global superstar – spending two weeks at number one in the UK and four weeks at the top of the US charts.

The song has since become one of the best-selling singles of all time, with worldwide sales in excess of six million copies – and last year it passed the one billion streams mark on Spotify.

Her distinctive husky voice – one of the most recognisable in pop history – was the result of a throat operation in the mid-1970s to remove vocal nodules. Defying doctors’ orders to rest her voice during recovery, she spoke anyway, and accidentally created her trademark sound.

Among her other major hits are It’s a Heartache, which reached number three on the US Billboard Hot 100, and Holding Out for a Hero from the 1984 film Footloose.

She represented the United Kingdom at the Eurovision Song Contest in 2013, finishing 19th with Believe in Me.

Three-times Grammy-nominated Tyler was appointed MBE in the 2022 Birthday Honours for services to music and has been named a Freeman of Neath Port Talbot.

No further details have been released about Tyler’s expected recovery time or when she may be discharged from hospital.

SKEWEN: Family ‘devastated’ after digger drives over teenage son’s grave

Tracey O’Brien’s son Liam, who passed away aged 16, is buried at Coedffranc Cemetery in Skewen.

But the family say they have been left heartbroken by the treatment of his final resting place, which is next to his grandfather.

Photos shared on social media show deep, muddy tracks running across the grass and directly over the plot.

Liam’s aunt, Lynne Richards, said her sister had been left distraught by the incident and a perceived lack of action to repair the damage.

“My sister was left absolutely devastated when she took flowers to her Son Liams Grave,” Ms Richards said.

She added that the family had also faced a second distressing incident at the cemetery.

“Following the passing of Liam and my dad, who are next to each other, we purchased an additional plot for me, so eventually we can all be together,” she explained.

“Coedffranc Cemetry dug up my plot and almost buried a complete stranger in there.”

Ms Richards described the incidents as “shocking behaviour and services for the public”.

Coedffranc Town Council, which runs the cemetery, has expressed its “sincere sympathy to the family involved” and acknowledged the distress the incident had caused.

In a statement, the council explained that grounds teams had to move an excavator across the grave to access another plot that needed to be reopened.

It said a boundary wall left only one narrow access point, and that two weeks of heavy rainfall had left the ground “extremely soft”, leading to the “unintentional damage”.

The council said continued rainfall meant the ground could not be rectified immediately.

It added that after being formally contacted, Councillor Annette Wingrave visited the site and agreed the ground should have been restored sooner.

The council said it has remained in contact with the family and has now scheduled work to lay new turf on the grave as requested.

To prevent future incidents, the council said it has requested a section of the boundary wall be lowered to create a new access point for cemetery vehicles.

The council also addressed the family’s claim that they were “snubbed” by Cllr Wingrave on a local Facebook group.

It said Cllr Wingrave was not an administrator of the page and that posts were removed by page admins “when comments began to include insults and threats”.

The council’s statement did not address the family’s allegation that a stranger was almost buried in a plot they had purchased.

Driving instructor launches 10p‑an‑hour lessons to help locals hit the road

Mike Colwill, who runs Mike Colwill Driver Training (MCDT) from Skewen and covers much of South and West Wales, has launched a community prize draw that will give one local resident a complete block of driving lessons for a £2.99 entry fee.

The offer covers Swansea, Neath, Llanelli, Carmarthen, Bridgend and Cardiff — and Mike says he wants to remove the financial barriers that stop people getting behind the wheel.

30 hours of lessons for less than the price of a coffee

The 30‑hour package normally costs more than £1,000, but Mike says rising lesson prices, insurance costs and general living expenses mean many young people and career‑changers simply can’t afford to learn.

The prize is fully transferable, meaning parents or grandparents can enter and pass the lessons on to someone else.

Mike Colwill, owner of MCDT, said:

“I see first‑hand how much a driving licence changes lives, but I also know the start‑up costs are higher than ever. By offering this 30‑hour course for what works out to be 10p per hour, I’m turning my ambition of helping the local community into a reality.”

Inspired by helping a learner who couldn’t afford lessons

Mike says the idea comes from his own training days, when he taught a local resident for free because they couldn’t afford lessons.

Mike added:

“I taught him right up until he passed his test on his first attempt. Helping him gain that independence felt awesome, and it’s a feeling I want to recreate for someone else in our community.”

Free entry route and charity vouchers

The draw is skills‑based — entrants must answer a driving theory question correctly — and there is also a free postal entry option, meaning someone could win the entire course for the price of a stamp.

Alongside the giveaway, Mike is donating “Barrier‑Breaker” vouchers to youth charities to support people facing anxiety or financial hardship. He says he has already contacted several organisations and is inviting more to get in touch.

How to enter

Residents can enter the draw at: www.mikecolwill.co.uk
Entries close 31 January 2026.

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Plans for expanded care home in Skewen spark public consultation

A proposal to redevelop and extend Cefn Lodge Nursing Home in Skewen has entered the public consultation phase, with plans for a new 50-bed care home now open for comment.

The scheme, brought forward by Oxford Care Holdings, would see the existing building at 16 Cefn Parc extended to include a purpose-built, three-storey facility designed to meet modern standards of residential and dementia care. The extended home would offer en-suite bedrooms, communal lounges, landscaped gardens and improved access for staff and visitors.

The current Cefn Lodge has operated from the site since the 1980s and accommodates up to 35 residents. According to the developer’s Design and Access Statement, the new building would increase capacity and provide a more energy-efficient, accessible environment tailored to the needs of older people and those with complex conditions.

The proposal is now subject to a statutory pre-application consultation, a legal requirement for major developments in Wales. This process allows members of the public to review draft plans and submit feedback before a formal planning application is submitted to Neath Port Talbot Council.

Planning consultants Asbri Planning are managing the consultation, which runs until 25 August 2025. Residents can view the plans and submit comments via the consultation portal.

Once the consultation closes, the developer will consider public feedback before submitting a formal planning application to the council. A decision will then be made by local planners, taking into account the views expressed during the consultation period.

If approved, the new Cefn Lodge would represent a significant investment in local care provision — expanding capacity and replacing ageing infrastructure with a modern, purpose-built facility.

#AsbriPlanning #careHome #CefnLodge #construction #NeathPortTalbotCouncil #nursingHome #Skewen

Shop worker could have gambled away more than £100,000 in takings

44-year-old Rebecca Hanford, from Skewen, had been working as a cashier at Arbourne’s Premier brand store and Post Office, on New Road in Skewen, since 2010.

Swansea Crown Court heard that as part of that job Hanford would collect cash from the shop tills, log it, and put it in “pods” in the safe.

In May 2021, the shop management found discrepancies with the figures of money leaving the tills to go into the shop’s safe, and with the money that was in the safe itself.

Further checks showed the discrepancies happening at times when Hanford was working at the store.

The court heard that the owners of the store counted the cash in the safe from the previous day’s takings prior to the start of one of Hanford’s shifts and put it back in place. At the end of the day they counted the same cash and found £300 was missing.

Hanford was challenged about the missing money and after first denying any responsibility, then produced the cash from her purse.

Hanford gave a ‘no comment’ interview to Police, with further investigations showing she had stolen a total of £40,431 between October 2020 and July 2021.

Up to September 2020, the business noted a shortfall of approximately £55,000 in their accounts. The business owners told the court that they estimated that the amount of money taken could total up to £100,000, however earlier documents were no longer available to be checked.

After pleading guilty to the theft charges, Hanford claimed that the money had been spent on household bills, although admitted spending £100 a week on lottery tickets and scratch cards.

Judge Geraint Walters sentenced Hanford to 12 months in prison saying he could not begin to understand what the defendant had been spending the stolen money on and had squandered her employers’ money.

Detective Sergeant Simon Davies from South Wales Police said: “Rebecca Hanford’s actions were not only criminal and selfish; they also had a detrimental impact on her colleagues, who were placed under suspicion when the shortfall was discovered.

“She knew what she was doing was wrong, yet she continued. Even worse, she appears to have squandered a significant amount of the money that she stole through gambling. Her claims that she was spending the money on household bills simply did not add up.

“She is now going to prison as a result of her actions, which should be seen as a clear warning to anyone else thinking of participating in this criminal behaviour.”

(Lead image: Google Maps / South Wales Police)

#gambling #Lottery #PostOffice #shop #Skewen #SouthWalesPolice #theft

Neath care home reunites sisters after years apart

Brenda Medway, aged 93, a resident at HC-One Wales’s Cwrt-Clwydi-Gwyn Care Home since March 2023, had long expressed her desire to reconnect with her older sister, Kay, aged 101, whom she believed was living in a care home in the Sketty area. Despite the best efforts of the care team to locate her, initial attempts proved unsuccessful.

Tomos Lovell, Senior Carer at Cwrt-Clwydi-Gwyn Care Home wanted to continue the search in his own time. A simple internet search late one evening led to a breakthrough – an article about a 101-year-old woman named Kathleen ‘Kay’ Clement, who had recently been re-awarded a military medal she had lost.

The most astonishing part was that Kay was living just five miles away at The Old Vicarage Nursing Home in Tonna. When shown the article, Brenda immediately recognised her sister and was overwhelmed with emotion.

Colleagues at Cwrt-Clwydi-Gwyn Care Home then worked closely with The Old Vicarage to arrange a surprise reunion. On Tuesday, May 20, with the support of Tomos Lovell, Senior Carer and Kaylie Watkins, Wellbeing Coordinator at Cwrt-Clwydi-Gwyn Care Home, Brenda made the short journey to see her sister Kay.

The emotional visit was filled with laughter, joy, and tender moments. Kay recognised her “little sister” and shared warm memories. The pair spent time chatting, laughing, and exchanging stories as if no time had passed.

Brenda Medway, HC-One Wales’s Cwrt-Clwydi-Gwyn Care Home resident, said:

“She’s still wicked as ever — she hasn’t changed a bit!”

They parted with hugs, smiles, and the promise of another visit soon. Brenda, who has no immediate family left other than her sister, expressed deep gratitude to the care home team for making her long-standing wish come true.

Tomos Lovell, Senior Carer at HC-One Wales’s Cwrt-Clwydi-Gwyn Care Home, commented:

“This reunion truly embodies what person-centred care means. It’s about listening, caring, and making the impossible possible. Seeing Brenda and Kay together again reminded all of us why we do what we do.

“We’re incredibly proud of our team and thankful to The Old Vicarage for welcoming us with such kindness.”

Plans are now in motion for regular visits so the sisters can continue to reconnect and share more precious time together.

For more information about Cwrt-Clwydi-Gwyn Care Home or HC-One’s care services in Wales, visit www.hc-one.co.uk.

[Lead image: HC-One Wales]

#CwrtClwydiGwyn #Skewen

Arson attack destroys Lonlas’ former youth and welfare club

The fire service say that three of their fire crews were called to the derelict building on Saturday evening (17 May) and needed to use a whole host of specialist equipment to extinguish the fire, which took 4 hours to put out.

A spokesperson for Mid and West Wales Fire and rescue Service said: “At 4.37pm on Saturday, May 17th, the Mid and West Wales Fire and Rescue Service crews from Morriston, Neath and Pontardawe Fire Stations were called to an incident at Lonlas Avenue in Skewen.

“Crews responded to a fire within a single-storey derelict building measuring approximately 50 metres by 15 metres, formerly used as a youth and welfare club.   Crews utilised hose reel jets, main jets, breathing apparatus sets, thermal imaging cameras, respirators, small tools, positive pressure ventilation fans, water hydrants and a turntable ladder appliance to extinguish the fire.

“It is believed that this fire was started deliberately.

“Crews left the scene at 8.43pm.”

The fire is the latest in a string of deliberately-set building and grass fires set across the region, with the fire service and police issuing a joint statement warning of the dangers of setting fires and the consequences for people caught doing so.

#Arson #fire #Lonlas #MidAndWestWalesFireAndRescueService #Skewen