19 Sep 2011

Services held for Welsh miners

3:52 pm on 19 September 2011

Church services have been held in South Wales for the four miners who died in when a coal mine in the Swansea Valley was flooded on Thursday.

The BBC reports the incident has badly affected the close-knit community, where mining accidents used to be common but have become rare in recent decades.

Phillip Hill, 45, Garry Jenkins, 39, David Powell, 50, and Charles Breslin, 62, all died when flood water broke through a retaining wall in Gleision Colliery.

Archbishop of Wales Barry Morgan said the tragedy had moved an entire nation and the world.

The BBC reports the Prince of Wales has agreed to be royal patron of the Swansea Valley Miners Appeal Fund.

Neath MP Peter Hain said over £30,000 had been raised already.

In New Zealand, the Wales rugby team wore black arm bands during a World Cup pool match against Samoa on Sunday.