SWANSEA: City takes starring role as S4C and ITV team up for first time on new drama Santa Maria

A new television drama being filmed in and around Swansea will put the city on screens across the UK — in the first ever drama co-production between S4C and ITV.

Santa Maria, a six-part dark comedy-drama, will premiere in Welsh on S4C in early 2027 before being broadcast in English on ITV later the same year.

The series follows two families from very different sides of the tracks, whose lives become slowly entangled through the actions of Maria — a saintly but strung-out cleaner.

It was created and written by multi-award-winning screenwriter Siwan Jones, whose previous work includes Con Passionate, Alys and 35 Diwrnod.

Directing is Erin Richards, whose credits include Y Golau/The Light in the Hall: Still Waters and the American series Gotham.

Producers have described Swansea as an integral part of the story, with filming taking place in and around the city — and Mumbles also set for a starring role.

Cameras have been quietly rolling for almost a month — the production’s first slate, released with the announcement, is dated 11 May and marks scene one, take one of the shoot.

The all-star cast is packed with familiar Welsh television faces, including Y Gwyll/Hinterland stars Siân Reese-Williams and Richard Harrington, Hannah Daniel of Cleddau/The One That Got Away, Leisa Gwenllian, and Oliver John.

They are joined by Matthew Gravelle, who starred in the Port Talbot-set Steeltown Murders, and Swansea-born Melanie Walters — best known as Gwen in Gavin & Stacey.

The series is being made by Welsh independent production company Triongl, with support from Creative Wales, equity funding from S4C’s commercial content fund, and international distribution handled by Sphere Abacus.

S4C’s Head of Film and Drama, Gwenllian Gravelle, who commissioned the series, said it would capture the contrasts of life in the city.

“Santa Maria explores the striking contrasts of life in Swansea, where two very different worlds exist side by side,” she said.

“Set against the city and Mumbles’ iconic blue skies, this deliciously dark comedy-drama captures Swansea in all its diversity; vibrant, complex and unmistakably real.”

Darren Nartey, Head of Content Acquisitions at ITV, said the broadcaster was “very proud to be bringing this fascinating, quintessentially Welsh story to our audiences across ITV”.

Triongl’s executive producers Nora Ostler Spiteri, Alexander Spiteri and Gethin Scourfield said they had assembled a cast and crew to make a show that was “warm, funny and vibrant — a far cry from our usual Welsh noir”.

The Welsh Government said Creative Wales’ investment had helped create jobs and training opportunities in the Welsh screen sector.

Plaid Cymru’s Cabinet Minister for Enterprise, Connectivity and Energy, Adam Price, said: “As a new government we’re committed to strengthening the Welsh creative sectors. We welcome the fact Creative Wales’ investment in this production has helped create jobs for our talented workforce, valuable experience for trainees, and is expected to deliver around £5.7m in economic return for Wales.”

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GOWER: The former journalist who took on the lorries and machinery to save the family farm business

When Louisa Harry Thomas’s husband founded a new business on the family’s Gower farm, running lorries and heavy machinery was never meant to be her job.

A former journalist, she had married into farming rather than grown up in it.

But when ill health forced her husband to step back from the venture he had started, she found herself in charge of it all.

Five years on, that business — Gower Granary — now supplies customers across Wales and southern England, and employs the equivalent of more than six local people.

“Running men, lorries and heavy machinery was never part of my life plan,” Louisa said.

“But when circumstances change, you find strengths you didn’t know you had.”

The Rhossili farm first ventured into animal bedding in 2021, as the family looked for a way to keep going while traditional farming grew tougher.

Using straw left over from the family’s arable operation, they began producing sustainable bedding and forage for horses and other animals.

The straw is double de-dusted during milling, leaving it dust-free — better for horses, and for the people handling it, who can be prone to respiratory problems.

The venture got off the ground with start-up support from the European Agricultural Fund for Rural Development.

It was shortly after launch that Louisa’s husband, the farmer who founded it, was forced to step back because of his health.

Alongside caring for him and supporting her family, she kept the business going — and growing.

Past customers have included Folly Farm in Pembrokeshire, which has used the bedding for animals from sheep to guinea pigs, and the equine centre at Aberystwyth University.

Today the company supplies stockists, universities, visitor attractions and equestrian venues across Wales and southern England.

That growth has come against a difficult backdrop, with the business reporting rising costs for staff, raw materials and packaging, on top of the wider pressures squeezing rural firms.

“We’ve focused on serving our customers well, controlling what we can control and continuing to move forward,” Louisa said.

Sales, the business says, have continued to climb regardless.

There is an environmental thread running through it all. The products use locally sourced materials and recyclable packaging, and are designed to support animal welfare while cutting waste.

Even the leftovers find a use — waste from the bedding process is sold into the sustainable construction sector, where it goes into breathable building materials.

The Red Tractor approved farm also keeps a herd of Welsh Black cattle on its cliff land to support biodiversity, and grows herb-rich grass on a five-year rotation to leave nutrients in the soil.

Beyond its own staff, the business says it supports a wider network of local suppliers, contractors and tradespeople across the peninsula.

Louisa’s efforts have not gone unnoticed, with a place on the shortlist for an Inspiring Business Person of the Year award.

She is among the business owners backing UK Small Business Week, a national campaign running from 1 to 7 June to mark the part small firms play in their communities.

The campaign, run by the Entrepreneurs Circle, sees independent businesses across the country take part in local events and community activity.

For Louisa, the milestone is less about awards than about having kept going when stepping away would have been the easier choice.

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GOWER: Cave art found on the Gower coast confirmed as the oldest in Britain

A series of painted marks in a cave on the Gower coast has been confirmed as the oldest known cave art in Britain.

Researchers say the distinct stripes inside Bacon Hole cave, which overlooks the Bristol Channel, were created by human hands around 17,100 years ago.

The cave, cared for by the National Trust in Wales, has long been one of the country’s most significant “bone caves”, named for the ancient animal bones found there.

The painted panel itself was first noted in 1912, but for most of the 20th century it was written off as natural staining rather than the work of people.

New scientific analysis has now overturned that view, confirming the marks as genuine Palaeolithic cave painting.

The findings place Bacon Hole, already a designated Site of Special Scientific Interest, among the most important prehistoric sites in Europe.

The art was made using red iron oxide, a naturally occurring mineral also known as haematite.

An international team carried out the renewed investigation between 2022 and 2024, led by the First Art team from the University of Coimbra in Portugal.

Researchers from Swansea University were involved, alongside colleagues from Southampton, Liverpool and Nanjing Normal University in China.

The team used high-resolution digital photography, uranium-series dating and Raman spectroscopy to examine the age and make-up of the pigments.

All the painted surfaces in the cave were re-examined, confirming the pigment had been deliberately applied by human fingers in lines, dots and splashes.

Dr George Nash, an archaeologist at the University of Liverpool who led the research, said the discovery rewrote what was known about the lives of early Welsh ancestors.

He said the artwork predated all previously identified rock art sites in north-western Europe by at least 1,500 years, making it a find of international significance.

David Thomas, archaeologist for National Trust Cymru, said it was profoundly moving to imagine people standing in the cave more than 17,000 years ago and making their marks on the rock.

He said the trust was grateful to the research team for revealing a hidden chapter of the past on Gower.

The trust has installed a protective metal grille at the cave entrance to safeguard both the fragile archaeology and a rare population of roosting bats.

Because of the cave’s precarious position on the coastal cliffs, it is not safe for the public to visit.

The research was supported by the National Trust and the Bradshaw Foundation, and the full scientific report has now been published.

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"Archaeologists have used the latest scientific means to date the rock art, discovering that it was in fact created 17,100 years ago – making it the oldest example in Britain as well as north-western Europe."

#Mwmbwls #Mumbles #Gŵyr #Gower

https://www.theguardian.com/science/2026/jun/01/striped-rock-dismissed-as-natural-reclassified-uk-oldest-cave-art-mumbles-south-wales

SWANSEA: Economic impact of tourism close to £700M in 2025

Last year the industry was worth almost £700m, an increase of 2% on the year before, with visitor days and overnight stays also on the increase.

These figures are supported by consistently strong annual hotel occupancy levels in Swansea in 2025 of 79%.

Tracey McNulty, Head of Cultural Services, Parks and Cleansing said:

‘The impact of tourism on Swansea Bay, Mumbles and Gower is continuing to improve year on year, with even more visitors opting for an overnight stay in the area.

“It’s supporting more than 5,500 jobs, with the total number of visitor days at 8.47m and the number of staying visitors increasing by 2.5% to 1.64m.”

Kate Bowen, General Manager of the Morgans Collection said:

‘The new STEAM report showing that tourism is worth almost £700m to Swansea is very positive for the whole Swansea Bay, Mumbles and Gower area. 

“At Morgan’s Hotel, we benefit from working closely with the Council’s Tourism Team on their high-profile destination marketing campaigns, as well as benefitting from the major event programme, by offering packages and offers all year round. 

“It’s great to see the growth in the number of staying visitors too and we work in partnership with other hotels in the area to ensure we refer bookings when we are full, to keep business in the area.”

Carly, Marketing & Advertising Manager, King Arthur Hotel, Reynoldston, added:

‘These newly released STEAM figures are very encouraging. 

“We have always worked closely with the Council’s Tourism Team, supporting their PR campaign, by hosting journalist and influencer visits, in partnership with other accommodation and activity providers, attractions, restaurants and cafes.

“We have been a Visit Swansea Bay Partner for many years and will continue to do as much as we can to support the local tourism industry and employment within this key sector.”

The Council’s Tourism Team continues to promote the destination with high profile and engaging marketing campaigns including Outdoor Media activity in key markets, TV advertising and PR. It works closely with local tourism businesses to host journalist and influencer visits as well as targeted digital campaigns with high quality video led content.

The successful Happy Place/Hwyl Campaign has generated over 11m video views since its launch in February 2025, with a new video released each week. The official destination website for the area, visitswanseabay.com, which receives over 180k page views every month, continues to provide a key platform for over 300 local tourism businesses, including accommodation, activity providers, attractions, cafes, bars, restaurants, pubs and events.

Swansea has a positive reputation for hosting high-profile annual events such as the Wales Airshow and Ironman 70.3 Swansea and they continue to draw in visitors from outside the area, with cultural events due to take centre stage in 2027 as Swansea becomes the only Welsh city to host the prestigious 10th British Art Show (BAS10). 

These collective factors complement the ongoing extensive and ambitious regeneration projects led by Swansea Council across Swansea and the wider Swansea Bay area, supporting employment and bringing additional revenue to  tourism and hospitality businesses.

[Lead image: Swansea Council]

GOWER: ‘Jayne is a fast walker — and I can keep up with her now’ — how a Kittle man’s Parkinson’s trial is helping him stride out again

Malcolm Sims and his wife Jayne love walking with friends. But after his Parkinson’s diagnosis, Malcolm found himself shuffling rather than striding — struggling to keep up, his foot feeling as if it were stuck to the ground.

“I was referred to physiotherapy and then neurology, who sent me for a CT scan,” said Malcolm, 75, from Kittle in Gower. “We really weren’t expecting the doctor to tell us it was Parkinson’s. It hadn’t even crossed our minds.”

Around 60% of people with Parkinson’s experience at least one fall a year — and falls cost the NHS over £1 billion annually. For many patients, the slow shuffle, freezing and loss of confidence that come with the condition mean a gradual retreat from the active life they once knew.

Malcolm was determined that wouldn’t be his story. A former science teacher, he made himself a promise when he got his diagnosis: he would take part in any research he was offered.

“Scientists are always looking for ways to improve things,” he said. “When I was diagnosed, I said I’d get involved in any research I was offered, so when we saw this I thought, I’ll give it a go. It might help other people too.”

That research was the STEPS II trial at Swansea Bay University Health Board — a study investigating whether a small electrical device called the ODFS Pace, already used by stroke and multiple sclerosis patients, could improve walking in people with Parkinson’s.

Malcolm was taught to attach small sticky pads to his lower leg. Once in place, a switch in his shoe triggered a small electrical impulse, stimulating the common peroneal nerve to make the muscles lift the foot more normally.

“Once it was on I’d often forget I was wearing it,” he said. “My foot would feel like it was stuck to the treadmill, but now I’m lifting it much more normally.”

The improvement in his daily life has been significant. Malcolm can now keep pace with Jayne on their regular walks — and has been able to carry on going to the gym.

“As time has gone by I’ve really noticed an improvement,” he said. “Jayne is a fast walker and I can keep up with her now. It’s made it much easier to keep active.”

What researchers found particularly striking was a “carry over” effect in some patients — where muscles moved more normally even when the device was not being worn. Lorna Tasker, Head of Rehabilitation Engineering at Swansea Bay University Health Board and one of the trial’s principal investigators, said the team hoped to see the full results published soon.

“We have 20 years of delivering this service to Multiple Sclerosis and stroke patients and hope that once published the results will give us a clearer understanding of how it may benefit people with Parkinson’s, as well as help to prevent falls,” she said.

The STEPS II trial was funded by a Medical Research Council and National Institute for Health and Care Research partnership, with contributions from Health and Care Research Wales. It was one of more than 800 clinical research trials delivered across Wales in the last year.

Wales’ Chief Medical Officer, Professor Isabel Oliver, said the scale of research activity across Wales was something to be proud of — and paid tribute to every patient who had taken part.

“By taking part in research, you are shaping your own care and helping to improve health and services for future generations,” she said.

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GOWER: Only four locals took part last year — can Swansea’s own backyard event tempt more to take the plunge this June?

Hundreds of athletes will descend on Gower on 20 June for the third Gritty Rascals Swimrun Gower — an endurance event that takes competitors on a continuous journey of running and open-water swimming along one of the most spectacular stretches of coastline in Britain.

And yet last year, only four people from the local area entered — meaning the vast majority of those experiencing the Gower coast from the water and the clifftops were travelling from elsewhere in the UK or further afield.

Organisers are hoping to change that. “We have competitors travel from across the UK and Europe to compete and this year we’re keen to welcome more local athletes to enter,” said Gary Pavitt, founder of Gritty Rascals Events.

Unlike a triathlon, swimrun involves no transition. Competitors run in their wetsuits and swim in their trainers, alternating between cross-country running and open-water swimming throughout the entire race — without changing kit.

This year’s event offers three course lengths. The Sprint Course (12km) is aimed at first-timers and newcomers to the sport. The Gritty Course (21km) offers a half-marathon equivalent for those wanting a stiff challenge.

The Full Course (41km) — starting at Rhossili Bay and finishing in Mumbles — is the ultimate test, and has this year been designated an ÖTILLÖ Merit Race, allowing competitors to earn global ranking points towards the Swimrun World Championships.

The Full Course takes competitors on a route most locals will recognise stretch by stretch — a technical swim from Tears Point to Mewslade Bay, cliff top running to Port Eynon, a crossing of Port Eynon Bay, then on through Oxwich, around Tor Point, into Pwll Du, across to Brandy Cove, Caswell Bay, Langland Bay and Rotherslade before a final climb up Mumbles Hill to the finish line.

Competitor Stacey Bramhall, who is also involved in promoting the event, said the experience of seeing Gower from both the coastal path and the water was unlike anything else.

“There is honestly nothing quite like the perspective of seeing Gower’s beauty from the coast path and the water,” she said. “The sense of achievement when you finish the race makes it all 100% worth doing.”

For those nervous about the swimming sections, the organisers point to an extensive water safety team who are in the water throughout. “We have a huge support team who are in the water for every stroke to support swimmers whether it’s their first swimrun or fifth,” said Pavitt.

Transport to the start lines is provided, with all courses finishing back in Mumbles. The event hub, registration and finish line are all based there, giving spectators a base for the day.

The Gritty Rascals Swimrun Gower takes place on Saturday 20 June 2026. Registration is open now at grittyrascals.com.

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SWANSEA: Four of Swansea’s beaches once again fly the Blue Flag — as the city’s marina picks up the award too

Swansea has once again proved it is home to some of the finest coastal locations not just in Wales, but in the world — with four of its beaches and marina picking up prestigious awards from environmental charity Keep Wales Tidy.

Caswell Bay, Langland Bay and Port Eynon — all on the Gower peninsula — have retained their Blue Flag status for another year.

Swansea Marina has also held onto its Blue Flag — one of just 20 sites across Wales to achieve the accolade in 2026.

The Blue Flag is one of the world’s most recognised coastal awards. It’s not just about clean water — beaches and marinas must meet tough criteria covering amenities, sustainable tourism, environmental education, safety, accessibility and site management.

Bracelet Bay, on Mumbles Head, has also retained its Green Coast Award — one of 15 across Wales. The Green Coast Award celebrates hidden gems of the Welsh coastline, commending Bracelet Bay for its stunning scenery, rich coastal heritage and excellent water quality.

A total of 48 beaches across Wales were recognised in the 2026 Wales Coast Awards — the most coveted annual recognition of coastal quality in the country.

The Blue Flag awards are presented by the Foundation for Environmental Education and are recognised globally as a symbol of quality — a guarantee to visitors that a beach or marina is clean, safe and well managed.

Owen Derbyshire, Chief Executive of Keep Wales Tidy, said Swansea had once again shown it was home to some of the most beautiful beaches in the world.

“We’re delighted to see this recognised in the 2026 Wales Coast Awards, which are a fantastic celebration of Wales’ beautiful and diverse coastline,” he said.

He added: “These awards recognise high and consistent standards and we would like to thank staff, volunteers and everyone else at sites across Wales who work so hard to protect and preserve our natural landscape in the face of increasingly challenging circumstances.”

He added that seeing the Blue Flag flying gave visitors confidence. “All of these places are beautiful but seeing that flag flying means visitors can be assured that they are clean, safe and well-managed with excellent facilities too.”

The awards have been managed by Keep Wales Tidy for more than 20 years and require beaches to meet and maintain the highest environmental standards, including tough water quality targets, year after year.

The awards are entirely voluntary — a testament to the huge effort of the staff and volunteers who maintain these sites to the highest standards.

Also picking up Seaside Awards in Wales this year was Aberavon in Neath Port Talbot — a UK-only award recognising clean, attractive and well-managed beaches with a good standard of facilities and water quality.

A full list of award recipients can be found at keepwalestidy.cymru.

More on Swansea’s beaches

Four Swansea beaches named among Wales’ best in the Wales Coast Awards
Last year’s awards — when the same beaches picked up their Blue Flag status.

Beaches in Swansea getting ready for summer with Blue Flag awards
How the Blue Flag beaches prepare to welcome visitors each year.

Three Gower beaches retain Blue Flag status
A look back at an earlier round of awards for Caswell, Langland and Port Eynon.

Port Eynon: Blue Flag beach joins smoke-free campaign
How Port Eynon has gone above and beyond to protect its award-winning status.

GOWER: ‘My daughter could be sentenced as a terrorist for damaging drones’ — Pennard mum speaks out ahead of June sentencing

A Gower mother says she is frightened for her daughter’s future after learning she could be sentenced as a terrorist next month — despite never having been charged with a terrorism offence.

Emma Kamio, from Pennard, says her daughter Leona — known as Ellie — was convicted of criminal damage at the Filton, Bristol plant of Elbit Systems, an Israeli-owned defence technology company. Ellie Kamio, 30, is one of four people due to be sentenced at Woolwich Crown Court on 12 June.

The case has drawn significant attention after reporting restrictions, which had prevented the details from being publicly known, were lifted by a judge at Woolwich Crown Court.

The four defendants were convicted of damaging quadcopter drones inside Elbit Systems’ Bristol research and development facility. Under Section 69 of the Sentencing Act 2020, a judge can apply a “terrorist connection” as an aggravating factor at sentencing — even where defendants have not been convicted of a terrorism offence.

Supporters of the four say the jury was not told this would apply when they returned their verdicts, and that had they known, they might have reached different conclusions.

A spokesperson for campaign group Defend Our Juries said: “The public will be astonished to learn that in the British justice system a protester can now be convicted of criminal damage for disrupting an arms factory, and then be sentenced as a ‘terrorist’ without having been convicted of terror charges and with this having been kept secret from the jury.”

The practical consequences of a terrorist connection finding at sentencing could be significant. The four defendants have already spent 18 months on remand — equivalent to nearly four years under standard sentencing guidelines, the upper limit for criminal damage.

With a terrorist connection applied, they would be required to serve their full sentence and could only be released early if a parole board was satisfied they had renounced their beliefs. Upon release, they could be placed on a terrorism licence for up to 15 years, requiring them to register new devices, bank accounts, emails and relationships with police.

Anti-war activist Angie Zelter, from Knucklas in Powys, who has previously been nominated for a Nobel Peace Prize, said the case was “of the utmost importance for the general public to be aware of.”

Mr Justice Johnson, who presided over the trial, ruled that the terrorist connection provision applied because the defendants were seeking to influence the Israeli government by restricting its access to weapons. The ruling has been disputed by the defendants’ supporters, who argue that a conscientious motive would normally be considered a mitigating factor rather than an aggravating one.

The judge also restricted what defence barristers could say to the jury during the trial. Five of the six defence barristers withdrew before closing speeches following those restrictions. A court order has now lifted the reporting ban on those events.

All defences on the charge of criminal damage were ruled inadmissible before evidence was heard, meaning the defendants were not permitted to argue that their actions were legally justified. Following the guilty verdicts, the prosecution did not apply to revoke bail — but the judge did so anyway, returning the defendants to prison, where they remain.

Elbit Systems describes itself as one of Israel’s largest defence electronics companies. The Filton facility is a research and development hub. The company has been the subject of sustained protest activity in the UK in recent years. The action for which the four were convicted took place before Palestine Action — a group associated with protests at Elbit facilities — was proscribed as a terrorist organisation.

The case is not the first time the conflict in Gaza has brought legal proceedings to the UK courts with a Wales connection. An Irish man living in Burry Port was detained by the Israeli navy on his 75th birthday after a Gaza aid ship was seized in international waters, while a Swansea humanitarian was among Britons aboard a Gaza flotilla that prompted MPs including Gower’s Tonia Antoniazzi to raise safety concerns.

The sentencing is due to take place on 12 June.

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